Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud has made his decision regarding the 2023 NFL Draft. He officially announced his plans to declare for the draft.

Stroud began his career at Ohio State in 2020 as the No. 3 quarterback and No. 39 overall player in the class, according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He spent his true freshman season as a backup to Justin Fields before taking over as the starter in 2021.

Proverbs 3:5,6 pic.twitter.com/FdA2ftqQFJ

— CJ Stroud (@CJ7STROUD) January 16, 2023

In his first season in a starting role, Stroud finished fifth in the FBS with 4,435 passing yards in addition to 44 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing fourth in the voting. Stroud had his best performance of that season in the Rose Bowl against Utah, throwing 573 yards and six touchdowns — both career highs — in a 48-45 win.

That set high expectations for Stroud entering his sophomore season at Ohio State in 2022, as he was considered one of the top quarterbacks prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft alongside Bryce Young of Alabama. He didn’t disappoint, as he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, and threw for 3,688 yards and 41 touchdowns.

All that sets up for Stroud to be a top five selection when the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway in April.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.