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. 

There’s no doubt that CJ 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. 

CJ Stroud is about to make an NFL franchise very happy pic.twitter.com/JQoG5gpowy

— Mr. Ohio (@MrOH1O) March 6, 2023

Has stayed healthy the majority of his career, other than nicks and bruises. Missed one game in 2021 with an injury. 

CJ Stroud’s scouting report

Quarterback Ability (65)

Arm Talent: 20

• Arm Strength (8/10) – 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. 
• Touch Ability (3/5) – Has to put effort to throw with touch and loses a lot of his arm strength when he does so. 
• Release (3.5/5) – Release feels slightly elongated by the very wide platform that Stroud typically throws from. 

Accuracy/Placement: 25

• Accuracy (10/15) – 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/Vision (7/10) – 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: 10

• Pocket Positioning (4/5) – Typically sets up well in the pocket. Also benefitted from a very solid offensive line most of his career.   
• Pocket Maneuverability (4/5) – Looks like he can maneuver the pocket pretty well. Moves well to space, adjusts well to pressure. 

Footwork: 10

• Consistency (3/5) – 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. 
• Quickness (3/5) – Foot speed is about average. Nothing really special about his drop. 

Athleticism (20)

Mobility: 12

• Outside of the pocket (5.5/7) – 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. 
• Downfield Ability (3/5) –  Limited downfield ability. Can move when he has to but doesn’t like to. 

Improvability: 8

• Natural Improvability (2/4) – 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. 
• Play Extension (2.5/4) – Can extend plays but his current football intelligence holds him back until he can fully grasp and develop into an NFL system. 

Intelligence (15)

Football IQ/Field Vision: 10

• Football Intelligence (3.5/5) – 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. 
• Ability to read pre-snap (3/5) – Still gets most of his reads from the sideline, which is a little bit of a concern. 

Overall: (74) – 3rd/4th Round