David NewtonESPN Staff Writer2 Minute Read
INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud stated he believes that he is been the very best participant in faculty soccer the previous two years, however he has no need to affix or change former Buckeyes star Justin Fields with the Chicago Bears within the NFL.
Chicago has the highest choose of the April draft and hasn’t completely dominated out taking a quarterback after Fields has gone 5-20 because the starter since being chosen with the eleventh total choose in 2021.
But as Stroud reminded on Friday on the NFL mix, he would not need to go to the Bears.
“That’s his crew,” Stroud stated of Fields.
Other NFL groups that would probably draft a quarterback early within the first spherical embody the Houston Texans (No. 2 total choose), Indianapolis Colts (No. 4), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 7), Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) and the Carolina Panthers (No. 9).
Stroud was recognized extra for his accuracy at Ohio State than as a runner, finishing 69.3% of his passes for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns to solely 12 interceptions. He seldom ran the ball, nevertheless, dashing for 108 yards on solely 47 makes an attempt final season, and he had solely 80 runs for 136 yards and one landing in faculty.
Stroud defended his means as a runner on Friday.
“If you activate the movie and actually watch what I do and you actually take a look at movie recreation to recreation, I’ve used my athleticism,” Stroud stated. “Not simply within the Georgia recreation, the place I did it so much, however I’ve carried out it in each different recreation.
“I’ve had robust third-down runs. I’ve had robust fourth-down runs. But there have been instances the place I did not run the ball or possibly I ought to have. That’s one thing I discovered. That’s what soccer is all about. It’s about stepping again as much as the plate and fixing these issues.”
That’s essential in an NFL the place groups are gravitating in direction of extra cell quarterbacks. However, Stroud made the purpose that it’s not what you do along with your ft that in the end proves your success as a quarterback, utilizing Fields for instance.
“You must make performs along with your ft, [but] he ain’t no rattling working again,” Stroud stated of Fields. “He’s a quarterback. He can sling that rock.”
So when groups on the mix have requested about his athleticism, Stroud has been prepared with a solution.
“I’ll be sincere with you, I informed them like I’ll inform y’all,” Stroud stated. “I did not do it so much in faculty [run], and I really feel like I ought to have. It’s one thing I do remorse. I really feel like I might have carried out it much more.”
He is ranked because the No. 5 total participant — and third amongst quarterbacks behind Kentucky’s Will Levis and Alabama’s Bryce Young — by ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr., however Stroud stated he believes he is the very best participant within the draft.
“For me, when you placed on my movie, I feel I’ve been the very best participant in faculty soccer two years in a row,” Stroud stated. “Honestly, I have never touched my potential but.”
