INDIANAPOLIS – C.J. Stroud doesn’t lack for confidence, or understanding of the strengths of his game. And the Ohio State quarterback’s belief in himself, particularly his precise accuracy, is a convincing selling point for his candidacy to be one of the first two quarterbacks selected in the NFL draft.
Stroud, who has met with the Texans, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons at the NFL scouting combine, is usually the second quarterback referenced in draft conversations after Alabama star Bryce Young.
Stroud was a prolific passer for the Buckeyes who piled up 85 touchdown passes with only 12 interceptions while completing 69.3 percent of his throws as the replacement for Chicago Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields.
Now, he’s stating his case to be drafted first or second overall.
“For me, if you put on my film, I think I’ve been the best player in college football two years in a row,’’ Stroud said. “Honestly, I haven’t touched my potential yet.”
A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, Stroud came by his accuracy through hard work and diligence.
When he was playing for Rancho Cucamonga High School, coach Mark Verti was
Stroud enjoyed his interaction with the Texans, which included general manager Nick Caserio.
“It went really well,” he said. “I got to meet everybody in their front office and had a great conversation. They asked me some questions and I feel like I did really good in the interview process with them, and I’m looking forward to going deeper and deeper and building a relationship with them.”
A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, Stroud came by his accuracy through hard work and diligence.
Growing up in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Stroud was coached hard to work on being a pinpoint passer. The penalty for not doing so: push-ups.
“That’s something I kind of grew up doing,” Stroud said. “In youth ball, my coach, Tojo Munford, forced me to stay in the pocket. He forced me to be accurate. My high school coach, Mark Verti, we used to do little bubble screens and I didn’t hit the top shoulder, I’d do 10 push-ups. It forced me to be accurate, something I pride myself on.”
Stroud emulates quarterbacks with those kind of qualities of placing the football into tight spaces: Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. His favorite quarterback was Michael Vick.
“He inspired me not only just to be athletic and use my athleticism, but as a Black quarterback to stay in the pocket and throw,” Stroud said. “That’s something he was very underrated in.”
Stroud acknowledged that he could have run more often, but he did escape the pocket smoothly as he broke out of his usual play-it-safe style in a playoff loss to the Georgia, passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns.
“I tried to describe myself as free-flowing, but still disciplined,” Stroud said. “I like to just be confidence in myself. I don’t try to press the envelope, and I think that’s very important being a quarterback sometimes. You want to let your teammates know that you’re not always trying to be Superman. But when can extend the play, you get a lot more respect from your teammates.
“I’ll be honest with you, I told them like I’ll tell y’all. I didn’t do it a lot in college [run], and I feel like I should have. It’s something I do regret. I feel like I could have done it a lot more.”
Stroud rushed 108 yards on 47 attempts last season, and he had only 80 runs for 136 yards and one touchdown in college.
“If you turn on the film and really watch what I do and you really look at film game to game, I have used my athleticism,’’ Stroud said. “Not just in the Georgia game, where I did it a lot, but I’ve done it in every other game. I’ve had tough third-down runs. I’ve had tough fourth-down runs. But there were times where I didn’t run the ball or maybe I should have. That’s something I learned. That’s what football is all about. It’s about stepping back up to the plate and fixing those problems.”
Stroud has no intentions of joining the Bears. That’s because of his friendship with Fields.
“I don’t want to go there, that’s his team,” Stroud said. “I’ve got to do my thing and I’ve got to go build my legacy. He texted me yesterday morning. Me and him are brothers for life.”
Stroud passed for 3,340 yards, 37 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. In 2021, he passed for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and six interceptions. He finished his career with 7,775 passing yards.
“I like Bryce Young better on the tape but I think CJ Stroud is a really good player,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “If you’re not comfortable with that price to go up to get that No. 1 pick? Stay where you are and get CJ Stroud? I would feel just fine about that.”
“I think he is just a pure thrower. The big question with him was, okay, not a lot of off-schedule, not a lot of playmaking. But then all of a sudden you see the semifnal game and you are like, ‘Dude, where has this been?’ He showed you he has that ability. The old scouting adage is if you can do it once, you can do it. So you know he does have that ability.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.
Photo: Getty Images
The Texans met with Ohio State star quarterback C.J. Stroud at the NFL scouting combine, according to a league source.
The Texans, who hold the second and 12th overall picks, have also met with Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis and Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Stroud, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound Rancho Cucamonga, California native known for his philanthropic efforts, holds the Ohio State single-game passing record with 573 yards and six touchdowns in the Rose Bowl and was the first player to throw for six touchdowns three times.
He was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist.
A former backup to Chicago Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields with the Buckeyes, Stroud finished third in the Heisman balloting behind winner Caleb Williams and runnerup Max Duggan.
Stroud passed for 3,878 yards and 47 touchdowns as a high school senior and was named MVP of the Elite 11 and an All-American selection.
He passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns in loss to the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl.
Stroud passed for 3,340 yards, 37 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. In 2021, he passed for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and six interceptions. He finished his career with 7,775 passing yards, 81 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
“I like Bryce Young better on the tape but I think CJ Stroud is a really good player,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “If you’re not comfortable with that price to go up to get that No. 1 pick? Stay where you are and get CJ Stroud? I would feel just fine about that.”
“I think he is just a pure thrower. The big question with him was, okay, not a lot of off-schedule, not a lot of playmaking. But then all of a sudden you see the semifnal game and you are like, ‘Dude, where has this been?’ He showed you he has that ability. The old scouting adage is if you can do it once, you can do it. So you know he does have that ability.”
Photo: Getty Images