Cardale Jones sends NFL emphatic message on CJ Stroud ahead of draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is on Thursday, and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud isn’t expected to wait very long before hearing his name called. Ahead of the draft, former Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones sent NFL teams an emphatic message on Stroud and where he stands in this year’s class.

Simply put, Jones believe Stroud is the best player in this year’s NFL Draft.

Top 2️⃣ and he ain’t 2️⃣!!!! pic.twitter.com/xqbfzgZBxN

— Cardale Jones (@CJ1two) April 22, 2023

While Jones is trying to give some more love to a fellow Buckeye, his argument isn’t far-fetched. After the Carolina Panthers traded up to the No. 1 overall pick, many believed that it was to select Stroud. As things currently stand, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is the most likely option at No. 1. But Stroud is by no means out of the running.

Stroud spent two seasons as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. The first was in 2021, where he completed 71.9% of his passes for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and six interceptions. His dominant season led to a fourth-place finish in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

This past season, Stroud again proved to be one of the best quarterbacks in college football. His numbers were slightly down, but he still impressed by completing 66.3% of his passes, throwing for 3,688 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions, leading Ohio State to the College Football Playoff.

Jones played at Ohio State from 2013-2015. He took over for the injured J.T. Barrett in the 2014 Big Ten Championship, leading the Buckeyes to a 59-0 win. Ohio State then made the College Football Playoff, and beat top-ranked Alabama in the semifinal to advance to the championship. Jones then led the team to a national championship.

Jones and Barrett both played in 2015. After the year ended, Jones declared for the 2016 NFL Draft after throwing for 2,322 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his collegiate career. He also added 617 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Jones was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.

Where Stroud could go in the 2023 NFL Draft

If Stroud doesn’t get taken with the No. 1 overall pick, he could be an option at No. 2 for the Houston Texans. It’s not a guarantee that the Texans select a quarterback, though many believe that they should. If they do, Stroud will likely be the selection, though Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson could be options as well.

ESPN released a full seven-round NFL mock draft on Sunday, and Stroud was not taken No. 2 by Houston. Instead, the Texans selected Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr., and he was followed by Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3. In this mock, Stroud was selected with the No. 4 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts.

A team could opt to trade up to No. 2 to take Stroud, and that could very well be the case if the Texans don’t want to take a quarterback. They likely wouldn’t want to move down far, making the Colts a strong possibility whether a trade materializes or not.