The wait for C.J. Stroud is over, as he was drafted by the Houston Texans with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. Stroud should have an excellent chance of starting at quarterback for the Texans if he can get acclimated to the team's offensive system, make quick progress and stay healthy.
The quarterback comes into the NFL after a brilliant 2-year stretch at Ohio State in which he completed 71.9 percent of his passes in 2021. He threw for 4,435 yards with a 44-6 touchdown to interception ratio. He followed that up by completing 66.3 percent of his throws for 3,688 yards with a 41-6 TD-interception ratio last season.
Stroud sat behind Justin Fields at Ohio State before becoming the starter. He was not a running quarterback at Ohio State like his predecessor, but he demonstrated during the College Football Playoff that he could run if he needed to.
More than anything, Stroud throws a beautiful football and he can deliver the ball on the numbers of his receivers.
He compares to Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys and Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions.
No. 3, QB Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Smith was given an opportunity to become the starter for the Seahawks last year by head coach Pete Carroll and it turned out to be a winning move.
The aspect that Smith was able to endure 8 years in the NFL as a backup or perhaps an afterthought and then come through at the age of 32 as a starter for the Seahawks speaks volumes about his confidence in himself.
Smith started off as a high draft pick — 2nd round and No. 39 pick for the New York Jets — but never established his credibility with that team. He was the starter for the first 2 years and then was shunted to the background.
There are many quarterbacks who fit that category, and few would have lasted as long as Smith and then figured it out in his ninth year. Smith completed 399 of 572 passes for 4,282 yards with a 30 to 11 touchdown to interception ratio.
Smith won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in leading the Seahawks to a 9-8 record in 2022 and a spot in the playoffs.
Hopefully, Stroud won't have to wait 9 years before reaching his potential, but he is capable of putting the same numbers on the board as Smith did last season.
No. 2, QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff has been quite successful from a statistical perspective throughout the first 7 years of his career.
After his selection by the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, Goff was immediately anointed as the team's starter. He was winless in his first 7 starts, but showed significant improvement in Year 2 when he led the Rams to an 11-4 record in his 15 starts.
Goff has consistently completed more than 62 percent of his passes throughout his career for both the Rams and the Lions. He was outstanding in the 2022 season as the Lions had an excellent second half of the season and delivered a hopeful 9-8 season to long-suffering Detroit fans.
Goff completed 382 of 587 passes for 4,438 yards with a 29-7 TD-interception ratio. He displayed the consistency to put the ball on the money to a crew of decent receivers, and the Lions believe that he has the ability to lead the team to the postseason in the 2023 season.
Goff has not shown the ability to make plays on the run during his career, so Stroud should be able to exceed him in that area. However, when it comes to accuracy, the 2 quarterbacks are quite comparable.
No. 1, Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys had hope that Prescott would develop into a competent quarterback, but he did not have elite status when he was drafted.
He was a 4th-round selection out of Mississippi State in 2016, and he took advantage of his opportunity to win the starting quarterback position for the Cowboys and earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. It was quite a rise for a player who was thought to be drafted as a backup.
Prescott completed 311 of 459 passes for 3,667 yards with a remarkable 23-4 TD-interception ratio during his rookie year. In addition to his ability to avoid throwing interceptions, Prescott also ran 282 yards and 6 touchdowns.
If C.J. Stroud can demonstrate that he can run the ball successfully, he has a chance to come close to what Prescott achieved during his rookie year.
Prescott has been successful in the 6 years that have followed, but a certain luster has been lost because of injuries and the Cowboys lack of postseason success.
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