C.J. Stroud - NFL Mock Draft Roundup

The Texans believe in quarterback Davis Mills, but if they actually end up picking No. 1 next April, something went terribly awry for Mills during his sophomore season. Stroud has a big arm, completing 71.9% of his passes for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2021. The third-year sophomore has only 12 career starts, though, so all eyes will be on him this season.

Stroud finished in the top five nationally in touchdown passes (44), completion percentage (71.9), passer efficiency rating (186.6), yards/game (369.9) and yards/attempt (10.1) and QBR (91.6) as a red-shirt freshman. His pinpoint accuracy allows him to put his receivers in position to maximize YAC.

If the Texans finish with the worst record in the league, second-year third-rounder Davis Mills will almost certainly not be the long-term starting quarterback for the team, and Stroud is the near-consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 class.

Davis Mills may well be Houston's quarterback of the future, but his better-than-expected performance in 2021 was part of a small sample size. If he can't seize the reins in his second year as a pro -- and he's not exactly surrounded by uplifting talent -- the Texans would opt for a replacement behind center.

Right now that's likely either Stroud or Alabama's Bryce Young. Each averaged more than 300 passing yards per game for blue blood programs in 2021. Stroud, with the bigger frame and bigger numbers, gets the nod here.

The most impressive quarterback prospect I saw last season was Stroud, who made substantial strides with each game as a redshirt freshman. There is no question he benefits from Ryan Day's play-calling and the elite talent around him, but Stroud still needs to make the throws, and his understanding of anticipation and touch make you sit up in your seat.

The Texans will likely give Davis Mills a chance to start in 2022. This is fine because it'll allow Houston to tank for one of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft class.

C.J. Stroud completed 71 percent of his passes this past season. He's a lethal passer and can run if he needs to with his 4.65 speed.

If the Texans are picking this high, the Davis Mills experiment has likely failed after a second season. Stroud has all the tools to be a franchise quarterback, and next year's No. 1 overall pick.

Unless Davis Mills is absurdly good, the Texans will be trying to draft a franchise QB, and the 6-foot-3 Stroud is the clubhouse leader after a monster 2021 season (4,435 yards, 44 TDs).

Stroud picked up right where Justin Fields left off last season. After some early-season struggles and a shoulder injury, he was lights out when he returned after sitting against Akron. He went for 300-plus yards in every single game from Week 5 on, with 36 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

Who knows how this QB class ends up? A year ago, we had Sam Howell, Spencer Rattler, Kedon Slovis and Desmond Ridder going in Round 1 and only Kenny Pickett ended up finding his way into the top 32, with none going in Round 2, and Howell falling all the way to Round 5, getting drafted after Bailey Zappe. So yeah.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback situation today is far more interesting than it was three days ago.

General manager Terry Fontenot chose Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder in the third round of this year's draft. Ridder may have tumbled, but he graded as Bleacher Report's top quarterback prospect.

Ridder could win that job outright from Marcus Mariota and give the Falcons a glimmer of home at the game's most important position. Until that actually happens, Atlanta must operate as if they don't have a long-term solution behind center.

As such, the Falcons jump at the chance to take Ohio State's C.J. Stroud.

Stroud gets the slight nod over the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Alabama's Bryce Young, simply because the former has a bigger frame and more upside as he continues in his development. The reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year is well-worth this selection after finishing top-five last season in completion percentage (71.9), passing yards (4,435), touchdown passes (44) and quarterback rating (186.6).

The Texans are giving Davis Mills another shot to prove he can be a franchise passer with Deshaun Watson gone but although he's got a strong arm, he's not the complete answer. Stroud is quickly putting together the total package in Columbus.

In his first season as a starter, Stroud did nothing to convince anybody he shouldn't be the first overall pick in 2023. Stroud completed 72 percent of his passes, passed for nearly 4,500 yards and threw 44 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Unless you think Davis Mills is a budding star, Stroud has to be the guy.

While the 2022 NFL Draft was lacking worthy quarterback talent at the top of the board, the same will not be true in 2023. Stroud's blend of size, athleticism, arm talent, and intangibles profiles him as a potential No. 1 overall selection.

All the above said, from this distance, Stroud looks to be the better prospect. He's a couple of inches taller than Young and more than a couple of pounds heavier. Both QBs have insane levels of production and will likely be in the discussion for every relevant award. Both QBs have incredible talent around them as you'll see in the rest of this mock draft. Moreover, both are considered exceptional young men and natural leaders.

What separates them for this 2023 NFL Mock Draft? Stroud has more physical tools and even better ball placement than Young. Many will question, though, whether he (along with Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields) can break a long trend of Ohio State quarterbacks who have struggled at the next level.

The Texans will use the 2022-2023 season to see what Davis Mills brings to the table. But odds are, Lovie Smith and company will want to add athleticism to the position. C.J. Stroud looks to have a massive 2022 season at Ohio State. He will duke it out with Bryce Young for the top quarterback available, but Stroud's prototypical size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and incredible arm strength will have the Texans on a full-blown dash to the podium.

The Detroit Lions didn't go quarterback at the top of the 2022 NFL Draft, signaling their desire to move on one here. C.J. Stroud showed linear growth over the course of the 2021 college football season and is returning as the top overall draft prospect in the early part of the process.

He has anticipation in his throws, plenty of zip, and the ability to hit every level of the field. Some of Stroud's middle-of-the-field throws are already better than the majority of starting quarterbacks in the NFL.

Stroud will also contend for QB1 in this class, but we'll see how he adjusts after losing both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. He's still got Jaxon Smith-Njiba (sic), so I expect him to be ok. If he can continue his upward trajectory, he could be #1 overall next April.

With the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select CJ Stroud, quarterback, Ohio State. Maybe a bit of a surprise that 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young, isn't the pick, but I feel both Stroud and Young are very close and Stroud has the bigger arm from what I saw in 2021.

We start at the top where the call between C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young was (and will be) extremely difficult. NFL teams might think Stroud's size (about three inches taller) gives him the edge but this battle is just getting started.

Stroud started slow in 2021 but came on strong towards the end of the season and with one game to go was the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy before the Buckeyes lost at Michigan. Stroud has the experience and ability to put together another monster year with another talented Ohio State offense around him. There's hope in Houston that Davis Mills can be a franchise quarterback but if the Texans are again picking in the top-3 this time next year, that means Mills never materialized.

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