Just hours after Alabama’s Bryce Young made his final on-field presentation to NFL decision-makers with an impressive outing in the Sugar Bowl, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud did everything he could to upstage him against the nation’s most dominant defense.
The Buckeyes lost a 42-41 heartbreaker to top-ranked Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying on Stroud’s part.
The two-time Heisman Trophy finalist completed 23 of his 34 pass attempts for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the Bulldogs, adding another 34 yards on the ground, with no turnovers.
Stroud helped the Buckeyes build a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, and a long scramble on the final drive set up the would-be game-winning field goal that jus wasn’t to be.
Throughout the game, Stroud displayed all the traits NFL teams look for in a franchise quarterback, from accuracy and arm strength, to anticipation and reading the defense effectively, to poise in the pocket and the ability to make plays when things break down.
Like most quarterbacks, Stroud is likely to be focused on all the things he could have done differently to ensure a different result for his team Saturday night. But what he did do what prove that he deserves to be in the conversation for the top quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft, and potentially the No. 1 overall pick.
