Ourlads' Profile:
2023 Guide: What Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services said about C.J. STROUD:
Ohio State | H: 6026 W: 218 40: 4.66 A: 3258 H: 1000 W: 7738
Third-year sophomore, two-year starter, Inland Empire, CA. Two-time first team All-Big 10, two-time All-America, two-time Heisman finalist, and two-time Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year. Finished first and second in the country in passing efficiency in 2021 and 2022. Ohio State went 21-4 in his starts. He is atop the single game passing records in the Rose Bowl. Keep discussing Stroud and you will run out of breath talking about how many things he accomplished in the two years after Justin Fields left for the NFL. He is next in line from the program’s productive list of passers to make their way into the NFL. His production is off the charts. The question will be how much of these results derived from the system and elite talent at receiver and how much of it came from Stroud? The tools and intangibles pass all the tests and he can make a strong case to be considered the best pure passer Ohio State has ever produced. Arm talent is off the charts. Throws the ball hard enough but specializes in touch. Puts ideal tempo on passes that are layered between levels of the defense. Has several velocities to his fastball including a top one that can really fly. Complete cohesion between his hips and feet, furthering his natural ability to put the ball where it needs to be. Can make every throw at a high level. Good enough speed to run away from pursuers in space. Gets in and out of a crowd smoothly, but quickly. Gets vertical in a hurry as a scrambler. Rose to the occasion in the biggest games he played, elevating the play of everyone around him. A proven big-game quarterback. Will get sloppy against pressure. Will evade the pocket too soon after taking a couple hits. Does not always trust his eyes, has some hesitancy to his decision making. Spent so much of his career in space, rarely having to deal with NFL-caliber pass rush and timing issues. Has some bend and flexibility issues in his lower half. Will need to hit the weight room to strengthen his core. Stroud is coming from a program that can cause at least some hesitation when it comes to projecting his college success to the NFL, but his ascent and performance on the toughest stages of his career combined with his outstanding arm talent are worth taking a chance on to be a credible, big-time NFL quarterback.
2022 Stats: 258/389, 3688 yds, 66.3%, 41 TD, 6 INT, 108 yds rushing, 177.7 QB rating. 1st round, top 10.