CJ Stroud gave Ohio State football fans hope of a potential return but the star quarterback ultimately declared for the NFL Draft on Monday, the deadline for players to do so. The 2023 NFL Draft isn't yet on the horizon, but that shouldn't stop anyone from thinking about where Stroud could land in the NFL.
CJ Stroud has ranked inside the top three quarterbacks in the nation in passing grade, passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating in the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus College.
Alabama's Bryce Young is the complete package- some would disagree in terms of his physical traits- but Stroud has a case as the best pure passer in the draft.
That should leave the front office executives of quarterback-needy teams salivating as they evaluate this NFL Draft.
But which executives should look CJ Stroud's way on NFL Draft night? What are the best possible landing spots for the Ohio State Buckeyes star?
Could the desperate Houston Texans shock the world and take Stroud over Young? Could a sneaky team trade up for the right to select Stroud?
Or maybe the Buckeyes star will slide down draft boards and fall right into the lap of a quarterback-needy team.
One thing is for sure. It will be very interesting to see where CJ Stroud ultimately lands in the NFL Draft. In the meantime, here are the three best destinations for the Ohio State football star.
CJ Stroud To The Texans?
It's no secret. The Houston Texans need a quarterback badly. Ever since the embattled Deshaun Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns- and even the season before- the Texans' quarterback situation has been less than ideal.
It's nothing personal against Davis Mills, who looks like a serviceable backup that the Texans should probably be interested in retaining.
But the Texans need a franchise quarterback. And armed with the second pick in the NFL Draft, the Texans will have their pick- assuming the Chicago Bears don't pull off a shocker- of the quarterback of their choice.
While Young seems like the surefire pick, if the Texans are concerned about his size, Stroud is the perfect backup plan.
At 6-3, CJ Stroud has the height that NFL teams desire- and he showed enough in the mobility department to make teams believe he can be the more modern-type signal-caller that is most successful in the NFL today.
Stroud, who has proven he is loyal during his Ohio State football tenure, would have a chance to grow with the Texans.
Panthers Take The Ohio State Football Star
The Carolina Panthers are in a similar position to the Texans. They have needed a quarterback for some time now. The PJ Walker, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield experiments all failed.
It's past the time for the Panthers to admit they need to start over. Carolina needs to build around a young, talented quarterback.
With the ninth pick in the NFL Draft, the Panthers could wait and hope that CJ Stroud falls to them. Or they could take matters into their own hands and trade up to ensure they get the Buckeyes star.
Either way, this is a solid landing spot for Stroud. The Panthers have a wide receiver, DJ Moore, who has all the tools to be a number-one receiver in the NFL.
If Carolina, who has shown interest in Sean Payton, can bring in a strong head coach, they could potentially have franchise cornerstones to lead them out of the rut they've been in for the last several seasons.
CJ Stroud Lands In Las Vegas In NFL Draft Blockbuster
The Raiders benched longtime quarterback Derek Carr, who then left the team to avoid being a distraction over the final few weeks of the season.
Recently, it was reported that the Raiders were going to begin listening to trade offers for Carr.
Carr isn't one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL but he has proven that he can lead teams to the playoffs.
That's valuable in the NFL- and teams will see that and actively pursue Carr.
That means the Raiders, who already own the NFL Draft's seventh pick, could be in a position to add to their draft capital.
With some talent on the roster, Las Vegas may opt to go for a veteran quarterback.
Yet, in terms of potential landing spot for CJ Stroud, there's no better place than Las Vegas.
The Ohio State football star would have an elite receiver to throw to in Davante Adams. He'd have an elite tight end to be the safety blanket and deep threat down the middle of the field in Darren Waller.
And with Stroud on a rookie deal, the Raiders just might have enough money to bring back Josh Jacobs, a free agent this offseason.
Stroud would have weapons surrounding him similar to the ones he had with Ohio State football. That's a recipe for success at the next level.
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