C.J. Stroud selected No. 2 overall by Houston Texans in first round of NFL Draft
COLUMBUS — Ohio State has officially sent three straight quarterbacks to the NFL as first-round picks: C.J. Stroud became the latest of the three on Thursday night.
Stroud was selected with the No. 2 overall pick Thursday night in Kansas City, becoming the third straight Ohio State signal caller to be taken in the first round. He joins the late Dwayne Haskins and current Chicago Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields.
Stroud was the second quarterback selected, taken behind Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
After throwing for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdown passes and just six interceptions as a first-year starter, a year in which he led the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl win, Stroud followed that brilliant season up with 3,688 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes and, again, just six interceptions last season. He led Ohio State to the College Football Playoff, in which he nearly beat Georgia in the semifinal with an incredible performance.
Stroud believes he has proven himself throughout the last two years, and he is confident that he’s the best player in the NFL Draft process. And then he went onto the turf in Indianapolis at the Combine and had a historically good throwing workout. No, he didn’t do all of the jumping, sprinting athletic drills for folks to drool over.
But he aced the quarterback drills and interviews. Couple that with his tape, and Stroud entered this draft process with plenty of confidence.
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“I think you can put on my film,” Stroud said at the NFL Combine in February. “I think I’ve been the best player in college football two years in a row. And I think I’ve consistently done that. Honestly, I think I haven’t touched my potential yet. I think that I have a lot more to get better at. And I have a lot more to prove, not only to y’all but to myself. That’s something I plan to do because I honestly don’t think that I got close to anything in college yet.
“So I’m excited to see what I do in the NFL.”
Following the combine, Stroud was ridiculed by plenty of talking heads around the NFL and media. His cognitive ability was questioned. So was his work ethic and ability to be coached. He brushed it all off.
Now he know where his NFL career will begin. Stroud was selected by the Houston Texans, and he is officially off the board in the first round.
