Ohio State has emerged as the frontrunner to land former five-star quarterback Justin Fields, who is expected to leave the University of Georgia after his freshman season, according to the Toledo Blade.

With the Buckeyes' quarterback room possibly uncertain next season pending Dwayne Haskins' NFL decision after the Rose Bowl, Ohio State's interest has peaked with Fields, notably his respect for coach Ryan Day as a quarterback whisperer, the report indicates.

Day helped develop Haskins, who led the nation in touchdown passes and passing yards, into a Heisman finalist this season within an offense that shattered numerous long-standing program records through the air.

Under the NCAA's new transfer rules, Georgia may not restrict Fields' decision and the quarterback is allowed to speak with coaches as he sees fit. According to reports, Fields is expected to retain attorney Tom Mars to aid with petitioning the NCAA for immediate eligibility. Mars worked with Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson and helped him earn a win with the NCAA this season in Ann Arbor after transferring from Ole Miss.

“I’ve helped more than a dozen student-athletes from different sports in the past year, but I don’t talk about it publicly unless there’s a good reason to do so,” Mars said, via The Toledo Blade.

Considered the No. 2 overall prospect in the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2018 cycle, Fields originally committed to Georgia over Auburn, Florida State, Florida, and Alabama in Oct. 2017. He played in 12 of Georgia's 13 games this season, but did not start one, as sophomore Jake Fromm turned in another impressive campaign.

Behind Haskins, Ohio State's collection of current quarterbacks on roster includes redshirt freshman Tate Martell, true freshman Matthew Baldwin, West Virginia graduate transfer Chris Chugunov and a pair of walk-ons.

Bucknuts analyst Bill Greene has more on the possibility of Ohio State landing Fields and where he would fit into the program's 2019 plans.

"Assuming Fields is transferring, and he is not going to go through another year as a backup, where would he go? Other than Alabama or Clemson, he is more than likely going to look at the schools where he can best be developed as an NFL starter," Greene writes. "If he is going to transfer this soon, he must be feeling he has missed one year of that development."

On the season, Fields fields completed 27 of 38 pass attempts for 328 yards and four scores. He also ran the football 39 times for 260 yards and four scores. The Florida game, coming out of the Bulldogs' open week, is the only game where he didn't take at least one snap and there's a good chance he could have earned an expanded role as a sophomore when he has a stronger grasp of the concept.