On the day of the deadline for eligible players to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft, Ohio State University quarterback CJ Stroud finally announced that he will be going pro.
When the first round begins on April 27, Stroud is expected to be selected in the top 10 picks. This declaration is welcome news to multiple QB-needy teams, which includes the Indianapolis Colts.
Many analysts and mock drafts have Indianapolis putting Stroud in a Colts uniform on day one. After what Stroud was able to accomplish under head coach Ryan Day at Ohio State, it’s easy to see why he’s drawn so much interest, and why he’s been tied to the Colts, who desperately need a franchise quarterback in this draft.
Through three seasons at Ohio State, Stroud was fantastic, putting together 575-of-830 passing (69.3%) for 8,123 yards, 85 touchdowns to only 12 interceptions. Not to mention, he had a blistering 71.9% completion percentage in 2021 en route to a career-high 44 touchdowns.
Two of the knocks on Stroud have been his performance in pressure situations and his ability to run, which he didn’t need to do much in Day’s offense as a Buckeye. However, Stroud silenced many critics with a masterful passing orchestration in the college playoff semifinals against the Georgia Bulldogs (they would go on to win the National Championship).
Stroud shined, going 23-of-34 passing (67.6%) for 348 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also made incredibly difficult throws look easy in the big game.
Is this enough of a sample to erase the “chokes under pressure” criticism? Perhaps, but it will be seen on the professional level soon if he can carry it over from that performance.
Stroud has been linked to the Colts in the past month of discussing future quarterbacks in the NFL. Now that he has committed to the league, who will be taking him?
The Colts have been linked to him and others, so there are options at their disposal with how their future will go. There is a lot to unpack in the coming months and it is just getting started, fans.
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