CJ Stroud’s Ohio State career is over.
After weighing his options ahead of Monday’s 2023 NFL draft deadline, the Ohio State quarterback officially announced Monday that he will turn pro Monday, ending his Buckeye career after three years, including two as Ohio State’s starting QB. .
Proverbs 3:5,6 pic.twitter.com/FdA2ftqQFJ
— CJ Stroud (@CJ7STROUD) January 16, 2023
In his farewell post on social media, Stroud said his decision to leave Ohio State was “one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make.”
“As a child I dreamed of playing football at the highest level and after much prayer I decided it was time to make those dreams come true,” Stroud wrote. “This is not goodbye…Buckeye for Life!”
While his late announcement led to speculation that Stroud would stay at Ohio State for his senior season, his decision to enter this year’s draft has been expected for the past year.
Stroud is projected to become the third Ohio State quarterback selected in the top 15 of the NFL draft in five years, joining Dwayne Haskins (15th overall pick in 2019) and Justin Fields (11th overall pick in 2021 in). He is projected to be the first Buckeye quarterback selected in the top 10 in more than 40 years, as Art Schlichter (4th overall in 1982) is the only Ohio State QB ever to be selected. is in the top 10.
It’s not out of the question that Stroud could even be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, though he’s competing with Alabama’s Bryce Young to be the top quarterback drafted. Kentucky’s Will Lewis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson are among the other quarterbacks projected as potential first-round picks.
He leaves Ohio State as one of the most prolific passers in school history. He is Ohio State’s career leader in passer rating (182.4), passing yards per game (324.9) and 300-yard passing games (15) and ranks second in school history in career completion percentage (69.3), passing yards ( 8,123) and transitions. (85). He won Offensive Player of the Year honors in both of his seasons as Ohio State’s starting quarterback and is the only Ohio State quarterback ever to be a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist.
With Stroud’s departure, junior Kyle McCord and redshirt freshman Devin Brown are now set to compete for Ohio State’s starting quarterback job in 2023.
Stroud joins a Buckeyes roster entering the 2023 NFL Draft that also includes wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njigba, tight end Mitch Ross, offensive tackles Parris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, center Luke Wipler, defensive end Zach Harrison, defensive tackles Jeron Cage and Taron Vincent, cornerback Cameron Brown, linebackers Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCallister, kicker Noah Ruggles and long linebacker Bradley Robinson. The deadline for additional players to enter the draft is midnight.
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