When you look at CJ Stroud, you can see why he’s projected as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL Draft. He has a good body type, a good arm, works the pocket very well, and has flashed solid mobility throughout his career. Even with the star talent that he had at Ohio State, Stroud made throws that jump off the film at you sporadically throughout his career.
CJ Stroud
QB – Ohio State Buckeyes
HT: 6025
WT: 218
Year: Super Sophomore
High School: Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Rating: 4-star (0.9780)
Projected Draft Grade: Low-Tier Starter
Projection: Top 10
The issues that concern me are CJ Stroud’s mechanics. He’s going to need a very solid quarterback coach who can work through his platform mechanics and work out years of muscle memory to form new habits. Otherwise, his accuracy will continue to be inconsistent.
CJ Stoud: Quarterbacking Ability
Arm Talent
CJ Stroud’s arm talent is fun. Velocity is present immediately. It’s a good arm, but not great. Can’t push the ball more than 50 yards effectively.
Has to put effort to throw with touch and loses a lot of his arm strength when he does so.
His release feels slightly elongated by the very wide platform that Stroud typically throws from.
Accuracy/Placement
Accuracy is overall good, but slightly inconsistent. Shows the ability to hit on throws and then miss on the same throw the next play. Struggles to get the ball underneath consistently.
Placement is the issue with CJ Stroud. His placement is typically just a little bit off, either just a hair behind the receiver or in front of him. Missed some throws throughout his career just because of poor placement. Doesn’t see concepts opening quickly, has a tendency to be late with his throws. Flashes the ability to place footballs into the bucket.
Pocket Presence
Typically sets up well in the pocket. Also benefitted from a very solid offensive line most of his career.
Looks like he can maneuver the pocket pretty well. Moves well to space, adjusts well to pressure.
Footwork
Does not have a consistent base at all. Seems to have longer legs and a smaller torso which makes some of the lower body mechanics more difficult to master. He wants to get wide with his base.
Foot speed is about average. Nothing really special about his drop.
CJ Stroud: Athletic Ability
Mobility
Flashes the ability to throw well on the move and on bootlegs. Not consistently on point with his accuracy. Will often try to force plays when he doesn’t need to.
Limited downfield ability. Can move when he has to but doesn’t like to.
Improvability
Flashes signs of improvability but puts the ball in harms way too often for my liking. Doesn’t do a lot to create real opportunities.
Can extend plays but his current football intelligence holds him back until he can fully grasp and develop into an NFL system.
CJ Stroud – Football Intelligence
Football IQ/Field Vision
Ohio State system limits their quarterbacks by forcing them into half-field reads. Stroud has a lot to learn moving up to the next level, just as Justin Fields did before him, and a lot of that is attributed to the scheme they want to run.
Still gets most of his reads from the sideline, which is a little bit of a concern.
Who is CJ Stroud?
CJ Stroud is a good locker room guy, but a quiet leader that may put concerns on some NFL evaluators.
Stroud’s play recall is impressive and has a lot to do with his lofty projections.
Overall
CJ Stroud has stayed healthy the majority of his career, other than nicks and bruises. Missed one game in 2021 with an injury.
There’s no doubt that Stroud is a high-upside prospect. He has a chance to develop nicely in an NFL system, work on his football IQ, mechanics, and he could be a solid NFL quarterback. That being said, CJ Stroud is a long way from being at that point. He will be drafted because of the upside that he presents, not because of his immediate impact value.
