Dwayne Haskins
A record-shattering college quarterback whose brilliant potential was tragically cut short, leaving a legacy of what might have been.
1997–2022 (age 25)·American football player·Birthday: May 3·Generation Z
Biography
Dwayne Haskins’s football story is one of meteoric rise and profound tragedy. At Ohio State, he wasn't just a star; he was a force of nature, rewriting the Big Ten record books in a single, dazzling season. His 2018 campaign was a masterpiece of precision passing and command, making him a Heisman finalist and a surefire first-round NFL pick. Washington selected him, viewing him as a franchise cornerstone. Yet his professional transition proved challenging, marked by the intense scrutiny and growing pains that often accompany can't-miss prospects. After moving to Pittsburgh, he was working to redefine his career path. His life ended abruptly in 2022, a devastating loss that sent shockwaves through the football world. Haskins is remembered not just for his arm talent, but for the poignant gap between his monumental college achievements and the professional chapter that was still being written.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Dwayne was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dwayne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Dwayne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2022Died at 25
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Set Big Ten Conference single-season records for passing yards (4,831) and touchdowns (50) in 2018.
- Finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 2018 and was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
- Won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top passer in 2018.
- Selected 15th overall by the Washington Football Team in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Did You Know?
He was a high school teammate of current NFL star Chase Young at the Bullis School in Maryland.
His 50 touchdown passes in 2018 broke a Big Ten record held by Drew Brees.
He was an avid chess player and often compared football strategy to the game.
“I'm not gonna let somebody else's opinion of me become my reality.”
