Ohio State used to be known as a running school, but that began to change at the tail-end of the Jim Tressel era when quarterbacks began to become the best and most dynamic athletes on the field. It got only better under Urban Meyer and is now at its peak under Ryan Day.
The latest pro prospect is, of course, C.J. Stroud. He is one of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy and has a great chance of being not only the first quarterback taken off the board but could go No. 1 overall in next year’s NFL draft.
But to truly understand the skillset and value of a guy like Stroud, it’s often beneficial to step outside of the Ohio State arena and get an unbiased look from someone else.
We have just that, and it comes from former head coach and scout June Jones. According to him, he thinks Stroud might have the most upside of any Buckeye quarterback that’s come out recently.
“I am very high on CJ Stroud. I feel (he) is the best OSU QB that they have had since they have been running Urban’s offense,” Jones told Buckeyes Wire through our sister site, Rutgers Wire. “He is a great athlete, (he) can throw on the move and from the pocket. He is the most accurate of all they have had. Watching his games from last season, he can make all throws, and his completion percentage and TD to INT ratio show his capabilities.
But it wasn’t all chocolates and roses. Jones did say that there needs to be some improvement to become the player he can be.
The only negative thing I will say is that the system he plays in is a college system,” Jones continued. “He will be like Justin Fields, a true rookie relearning how to execute an NFL offense. If he proves and reads coverages and makes throws, where coverages dictate (from) where he is now, is a progression thrower off the RPOs, I believe he will be the first QB taken whenever he comes out.”
This is great feedback coming from a guy that knows a thing or two about quarterbacks. If Stroud has the year we all expect, look for him to be a very, very high pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Currently, Jones is actively involved with CoachTube, a digital platform that offers football coaching courses and sports coaching courses. He has several courses available on coaching offenses and the ‘Run and Shoot’ offense.
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