C.J. Stroud and the Ohio State Buckeyes were a wide field goal attempt away from advancing to the College Football Playoff National Championship against TCU. Even in a losing effort, Stroud was able to bolster his claim as one of the top eligible quarterback prospects entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
The scouting report on Stroud coming into the game depicted a well-built 6-foot-3 quarterback with plus arm strength and the tendency to throw with touch, accuracy and anticipation. He has control of the offense at the line of scrimmage and is known to not get beyond his first read, which is not necessarily unheard of in college. The concerns stem from his inefficiencies when pressured, as well as his reliance on being a strict pocket passer rather than extending plays with his legs and making plays outside of structure.
In Saturday’s 41-42 loss to Georgia, the California native was able to dispel some of those concerns. In an episode of CBSSports.com’s ‘With the First Pick’ podcast, CBS Sports analyst and longtime NFL general manager Rick Spielman offered his perspective of Stroud’s performance.
“The biggest thing when you watch that game is that he actually made some plays with his legs. He is always trying, when you watch the tape this year, and even last year, to prove that he is a quarterback and a pocket passer,” Spielman said. “It seemed like he didn’t want to make plays with his legs. Everybody talked about, and even some of the people I have talked to at Ohio State — he is a better athlete than he is showing on the tape this year.
“All of a sudden, someone unchained the beast for a national championship game,” Spielman continued. “There was no question about his arm talent, no question about his accuracy. I thought he got through his decision process a lot better against an NFL-caliber defense at the University of Georgia. The difference in this game, and what kept them in the game and probably what gave them a chance to win that game, was his ability to make plays with his legs. That is so important now in the NFL because you see all of these quarterbacks coming out having success can not only throw the ball but they can make plays with their legs.”
Stroud completed 23-of-34 pass attempts for 348 yards and four touchdowns. According to TruMedia, he avoided three tackles Saturday alone. In the prior 12 games, he had avoided just one tackle. The quarterback registered…
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