Coming into Ohio State’s matchup in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia, nobody questioned quarterback C.J. Stroud’s efficiency, toughness, and capability for explosive plays in the pocket. There were, however, questions about Stroud’s ability to make off-schedule plays in which he had to create outside the pocket, under pressure, and when the play broke down. Based on Stroud’s 2022 tape, these have been legitimate issues, and they did put a bit of a pause on Stroud’s automatic status as a top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL draft — at least, in the minds of some.
This was especially true on the two touchdown passes Stroud threw to Marvin Harrison Jr. in the first half of the game. There was this 31-yard touchdown pass thrown with 8:16 left in the first quarter, in which Stroud drifted to his right, directed Harrison out of the way of coverage, and made the throw he needed to make.
