COLUMBUS, OH — Thanks to his official announcement in declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft, former Ohio State Buckeye quarterback CJ Stroud has single handily influenced how things will shake out in April.
Stroud, a two-time Heisman finalist is a 6’3 218-pound passer out of Inland Empire, CA who helped lead the fourth-ranked Buckeyes to a near upset of the eventual two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl, losing 42-41.
Thanks to a brilliant four-touchdown performance along with 348 passing yards, some experts have pegged Stroud as QB1 in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft above fellow SoCal-born quarterback in Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young and Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis.
With QB-needy teams such as Houston at No.2, Indianapolis at No.4, Seattle at No.5, Detroit at No.6, Las Vegas at No.7 and NFC South rivals Atlanta and Carolina at No.8 and No.9 respectively, any of these teams could provide a landing spot, with some willing to trade up to No.1, the question is, who? Thanks to rookie-year contracts helping influence draft selections, whichever team pulls the trigger on Stroud will be able to exercise a fifth-year option of control.
Below are my top three best landing spots for Stroud.
Houston Texans:
Draft assets:
- Round 1, Pick 2 overall
- Round 1, Pick 12 overall (from CLE)
- Round 2, Pick 33 overall
- Round 3, Pick 65 overall
- Round 3, Pick 73 overall (from CLE)
- Round 4, Pick 101 overall
- Round 5, Pick 133 overall
- Round 6, Pick 174 overall
- Round 6, Pick 186 overall
- Round 6, Pick 191 overall
- Round 6, Pick 192 overall
- Round 7, Pick 215 overall
Barring the Texans passing on Young at No.2, or another team leaping over Houston, Stroud could be a good fit in Space City. Armed with their own pick, plus an additional pick at No.12 via Cleveland, the Texans could take Stroud and grab another playmaker such as TCU WR Quentin Johnston to give up the proper tools to start off right.
Indianapolis Colts:
Draft assets:
- Round 1, Pick 4 overall
- Round 2, Pick 35 overall
- Round 3, Pick 79 overall (from WAS)
- Round 4, Pick 103 overall
- Round 5, Pick 135 overall
- Round 6, Pick 193 overall
- Round 7, Pick 199 overall
- Round 7, Pick 214 overall (from TB)
Another dome team with a giant hole at QB! Sensing a theme here? The Colts clearly lack a franchise-level quarterback and have been chasing the ghost of Andrew Luck, since the latter suddenly retired from the NFL in 2019.
Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Sam Ehlinger, Matt Ryan. Could Stroud be the one to solve the riddle at QB in Indy?
Already armed with one of the top OL in the game in Quentin Nelson, one of the top running backs in Jonathan Taylor and legit red zone threats in WR’s Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce, Stroud could be the missing piece for a team and franchise despite find its leader.
Las Vegas Raiders:
Draft assets:
- Round 1, Pick 7 overall
- Round 2, Pick 38 overall
- Round 3, Pick 70 overall
- Round 4, Pick 106 overall
- Round 5, Pick 138 overall
- Round 5, Pick 141 (from ATL)
- Round 6, Pick 189 overall (from DAL)
- Round 7, Pick 198 overall (from ARI)
- Round 7, Pick 209 overall (from NE)
Unless Pat McAfee breaks the news of Aaron Rodgers leaving Green Bay for Sin City, the Silver and Black need a new QB, following their messy divorce from Derek Carr, on paper, The Raiders could be a perfect fit for Stroud as they have the best talent to surround him with in WR Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, TE Darren Waller and RB Josh Jacobs. That, as well as an aggressive play-caller in Josh Mcdaniels and a history of throwing downfield vertically, could be just the ticket in Vegas!
Sleeper! Washington Commanders:
Draft assets:
-
- Round 1, Pick 16 overall
- Round 2, Pick 47 overall
- Round 4, Pick 115 overall
- Round 5, Pick 147 overall
- Round 6, Pick 179 overall
- Round 7, Pick 211 overall
This is the longest of long shots, but if you look more closely, it makes the most sense. Make no mistake Carson Wentz is washed and Taylor Heinecke is a serviceable starter/backup at best. But neither is “the guy” to be under center in our nation’s capital. While Washington doesn’t have a top-ten pick to offer Chicago, as the other teams mentioned, don’t count them out to at least make a move to grab a QB if one of them slips out of the top ten.