Scarlet Sunrise: C.J. Stroud betting favorite to go No. 1 overall after Carolina Panthers trade

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C.J. Stroud betting favorite to go No. 1 overall after Carolina Panthers trade

The dust has settled since the Carolina Panthers stole NFL headlines last week by trading four picks — most notably, the No. 9 pick this year and a 2024 first-round pick — as well as wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.

Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is now the betting favorite to hear his name first on April 27. Vegas Insider has the two-time Heisman Trophy finalist’s odds at -300. Next is Alabama’s Bryce Young at +300, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson isn’t too far behind Young at +450.

Physically, Stroud fits the mold of the starting quarterback new Panthers head coach Frank Reich has traditionally turned to in his career. Here’s a noteworthy stat from Peter King’s “Football Morning in America”: In 17 years, Reich has coached in just six games as a head coach or assistant coach where his team’s starting quarterback has been under 6-foot-4. Stroud actually checked in at the NFL Combine at 6-foot-3, 214 pounds, whereas Richardson was 6-foot-4, 244 pounds. But Young — perceived to be Stroud’s biggest competition for the top pick — is only 5-foot-10, 204 pounds.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay still has Young going No. 1 overall, even after the Panthers trade. But several other mocks have Stroud being taken first by Reich and Co. That includes The Athletic’s Ben Standig, The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler and Pro Football Network’s Cam Mellor.

Stroud wowed at the NFL Combine, completing what NFL Network Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah called “one of the best throwing sessions I’ve seen at the combine.”

We won’t know for sure until later this spring, but that performance could have moved the needle.

Lessons Learned from first week of Buckeyes spring camp

Ohio State is on spring break, but Lettermen Row isn’t. The crew of Spencer Holbrook, Tim May and Andy Backstrom is looking back on the first week of Buckeyes spring ball and asking two important questions: (1) What have we learned? (2) What do we still want to learn?

It’s a can’t-miss episode that spans nearly 40 minutes. Spencer, Tim and Andy cover topics ranging from defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ “JACK” position to Ohio State’s second-year wide receivers to the Buckeyes’ offensive line situation.

You can watch it right here:

Roddy Gayle Jr. emerged as Buckeyes X-factor during Big Ten Tournament

Ohio State freshman guard Roddy Gayle Jr. logged two or fewer points in nine of the Buckeyes’ 20 regular season Big Ten games. He came into last week’s Big Ten Tournament averaging 3.7 points per game with only 12 made 3-pointers.

Then, in the final three games of the Buckeyes’ four-day league tourney run, he posted 14.7 points per contest and shot a blistering 9-of-10 from beyond the arc. Gayle played a critical part in Ohio State becoming the lowest seed in Big Ten Tournament history to reach the semifinals.

Fellow first year Bruce Thornton — the Buckeyes’ point guard and freshman captain — received All-Tournament Team recognition, but Gayle was Ohio State’s X-factor in Chicago.

For the full story, go here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 171 days

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 255 days

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