C.J. Stroud 2023 NFL Draft profile: Scout report for the Ohio State QB
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State: 6’3”, 215 pounds; RS SO.
The third-highest ranked quarterback in the 2020 class, behind only Bryce Young and D.J. Uiagelei, C.J. Stroud had a year to learn behind Justin Fields.
He took over right from where his predecessor left off, completing an Ohio State record of 71.9 percent of his passes for over 4,400 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2021, with only six INTs. He even finished fourth in the Heisman race (first-team All-Big Ten).
He was barely off those numbers this past season (66.3 completion percentage, 3688 yards, 41 TDs vs. six INTs), when he was third in Heisman voting and the Big’s Ten Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in a row (having shared the award with now-Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III in 2021).
C.J. Stroud scout report: Strengths
+ C.J. Stroud is the most natural passer in the draft when you look at everything from the first step to the index finger rolling off on the follow-through, being able to put the ball onto the frame of targets at all three levels of the field.
+ Looked like an absolute machine at the combine, with how balanced his footwork was, the consistency in his release, the pin-point accuracy with guys he’s never thrown to and just how natural a passer he looked to be.
+ Highly confident outside-the-numbers thrower, where it’s driving curl and out routes or lofting the ball downfield. Has no issues delivering deep outs from one hash to the opposite sideline.
+ Loves to stretch defenses with go balls, which routinely whistle right by the defender’s helmet and land perfectly in stride, but also got a lot of his production on crossers.
+ That’s why he was asked to execute a lot of touchdown-to-check type pass concepts, leading to an average depth of target at 10.7 yards.
+ Along with that, his ability to take one hitch and drive intermediate throws in the 15-20 yard range on deep in-cuts on dagger patterns and others is as good as you’re going to find in this class.
+ Frequently throws the ball towards blind-spots of defenders, allowing his targets to make plays on back-shoulder balls or force defensive pass interference.
+ Rapidly gets his head around and is ready to unload after turning his back to the defense on deep play-action fakes.
+ There’s good rhythm to his drops and no need for any hitches when the primary is there for him.
+ Stroud displays good anticipation and hits receivers right out of their breaks on timing-based patterns.
+ Yet he also doesn’t mind waiting things out and attacking soft spots in zone coverage that are about to develop, hanging at the top of his drop.
+ Excels at communicating with his receivers with where he puts the ball and frequently protects them by not leading them into big hits.
+ Hits a bunch of benders and seam routes, just as his guys get even with trailing defenders or have cleared the underneath coverage, where he stops them in the window before the safety can barrel down to take somebody’s head off.
+ Showcases the football IQ to diagnose advanced coverage rotations and put enough mustard on the ball to hit his receivers before their routes lead them into zone defenders.
+ Even when he knows he has a free rusher barreling down on him, Stroud can loft the ball over the top of safeties as he has a receiver streaking down the middle.
+ When C.J. Stroud is throwing the ball deep across the field, he makes sure to loft the ball over the ancillary coverage, where a defender may hang there and have the freedom to fall off, to not put it at risk for turnovers.
+ Can cut down the length of his hitches if there’s no room to actually step into throws, but also make that longer slide up with pressure off the edge and push towards the B-gap.
+ His eyes stay down the field with bodies around him and even when he gets bumped at times, he’s really good at re-setting his base and launching the ball.
+ Swift in the way he moves sideways to avoid a rusher up his face, re-set his platform and get the ball out.
+ Against popular belief, Stroud finished fourth among all FBS quarterbacks in net yards per pass attempt outside the pocket.
+ While C.J. Stroud is at his best making big throws from the pocket, when he does get outside, his eyes stay up and he delivers the ball to the sidelines, without putting it at risk.
+ Is aware of targets working across the field and can put the ball to where they can create separation from nearby defenders without having to settle his feet.
+ Led a furious comeback to beat Utah 48-45 in the Rose Bowl, throwing for 573 yards and six touchdowns that day.
+ He impressed in Ohio State’s 42-41 loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal (where the kicker missed a potential game-winning FG at the end). The way he would punish defenses for voiding the space in front of him for some crucial scrambles and the way he would extend plays by getting outside the pocket, along with those big-time throws down the field, were incredible.
C.J. Stroud scout report: Weaknesses
C.J. Stroud had the benefit of being pressured on just the 123rd -highest rate in the FBS (24.3%) and got to throw to two first-round picks at receiver in 2021 (Olave, Wilson), along with Jaxon Smith-Njigba (who could end up getting drafted about as high as either one of them).– Wasn’t asked to make a ton of multi-level reads, where he more so just needed to confirm information post-snap and had targets come into his vision whilst checking if the deeper throw is there or would check it down to the back that way.
– Legitimately turns down opportunities to take off as a runner and other than his very last collegiate game, you saw very little of Stroud in terms of getting outside the pocket and creating off schedule, thanks to the way head coach Ryan Day and company provided space to attack.
– When he does start to move, he’s quick to take the off-hand away as soon as he tries to get into creation mode, and his numbers under pressure dropped dramatically.
– Had some issues against cover-zero rain, where the defense creates a free rusher and has a mugged-up linebacker bail out if accounted for, pulling the ball down and taking sacks, while adding an extra pad of the ball frequently.
C.J. Stroud scout report: Grade
The Ohio State quarterback conversation is mostly dumb. I’m very much against helmet-scouting and I try to always scout traits that may translate rather than saying players can’t do certain things.
With that being said, C.J. Stroud’s job was made a lot easier by the offensive system, with how good they were at creating space against zone coverage, along with the incredible receiving corp, which could consistently separate against man.
You combine that with how little he’s shown in terms of off-schedule play-making and you wonder if his game is suited to the modern game in a way that allows him to one day be among the elite names at the position.
With that out of the way – C.J. Stroud is the best pure-pocket passer in the class, thanks to how easy everything about his ability to set up and deliver the ball on time and target is. Now it’s about the idea of “if he did it once, can we teach him to do it more often?” in terms of looking at how much more he can provide in terms of mobility to extend plays.
What is really encouraging to me is the fact that C.J. Stroud played his best in the final games of both his seasons with the Buckeyes. I think depending on the team, you can make an argument for having this guy anywhere from number one to three, although I personally lean towards the latter end of the spectrum.
Grade: Top-ten overall
You might like other 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports: Tyree Wilson (EDGE), Texas Tech; Will Anderson Jr. (EDGE), Alabama; Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR), Ohio; Zay Flowers (WR), Boston; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Jordan Addison (WR), USC; Quentin Johnston (WR), TCU; Zach Charbonnet (RB), UCLA; Bijan Robinson (RB), Texas.
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