Sports
Why C.J. Stroud Is 2023 NFL Draft’s Top QB Prospect Entering College Season
Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Alabama’s Bryce Young may be the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, but Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is clearly college football’s best quarterback prospect for the 2023 NFL draft.
History has showed that collegiate hardware doesn’t automatically equate to future success. It’s happened more often than not as of late, but the likes of Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, Marcus Mariota and Baker Mayfield (so far) didn’t translate to the professional game and serve as warnings.
This isn’t to say that Young isn’t a quality prospect. But he can’t automatically be pushed above every other quarterback on draft boards based on what he’s done as part of the nation’s most successful football program.
Just the fact that Stroud and Young are even in the early conversation as top draft selections is a wonderful change of pace after this year’s group of signal-callers can be kindly described as the worst of this century.
“It was a really, really weak class,” an AFC personnel executive told Heavy’s Matt Lombardo. “Everyone knew it all along, but everyone tried to sell those guys to each other.”
As a result, some franchises in desperate need of an infusion of talent under center punted on the position with an eye toward next April. This could benefit the entire class. Kentucky’s Will Levis, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Stanford’s Tanner McKee should all be in the first-round mix as well.
But Stroud should lead the way as the true premium talent with No. 1 overall potential.
Ultimately, the conversation will hinge on Young vs. Stroud because they’re the two most high-profile prospects playing for illustrious pipeline programs. They finished first and fourth, respectively, in Heisman voting last year. Their situations are now flipped slightly, with Stroud entering this season as the betting favorite for the award.
Stroud’s physical tools, skill set, production and growth potential place him atop this year’s crop.
Stroud’s and Young’s physical statures are night and day and will likely prove to be the biggest difference in their evaluations. The former is 6’3″ and 218 pounds, while the latter is 6’0″ and 194 pounds.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy finalists—from left to right: Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Young’s height is less of an issue that it once was. After all, offenses operate out of the shotgun on a regular basis, and shorter options have succeeded in the league as of late.
However, Young’s slight frame will be a major concern when it comes to taking an NFL pounding. Jim McMahon (6’1″, 195 lbs) in 1982 is the last first-round quarterback over the last 40 years to weigh fewer than 200 pounds. Guys like Mayfield (6’1″, 215 lbs), Kyler Murray (5’10”, 207 lbs) and Russell Wilson (5’11”, 215 lbs) are shorter quarterbacks, but they’re thickly built. They can create significant torque in their lower bodies and hips because of their squatty frames.
Prototypical NFL size standards aside, Stroud layers throws to all three levels. The 20-year-old passer is particularly adept when he drives the ball down the field. His pure arm strength may not reach Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes levels, but he should be considered among the next tier.
Deep passing is also a byproduct of timing and touch. According to Pro Football Focus, Stroud was college football’s most accurate deep passer going into bowl season. The reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year then dumped 573 yards and six touchdowns in a victory over the Utah Utes in the Rose Bowl.
It’s important to make the distinction between those two points to ensure the number wasn’t skewed because of that historic performance.
“I say with C.J., he really drops the ball in there. The best way to put it is like Russell Wilson,” former teammate and first-round wide receiver Garrett Wilson told the Big Ten Network last year (h/t The Lantern‘s Jacob Benge).
PFF also graded Stroud as the best Big Ten quarterback last season with a 67.6 percent accurate pass rate.
NFL evaluators will start to salivate over a quarterback who navigates the pocket, keeps his eyes downfield and consistently delivers the football with a smooth, compact delivery.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Young isn’t a slouch either. He has a great feel for the game with excellent touch within the scheme and creativity outside of structure. But his stature will remain a sticking point.
Levis, meanwhile, brings the best combination of size (6’3″, 232 lbs) and raw arm talent, as well as two years of learning under current or former NFL offensive coordinators at Kentucky in Liam Coen and Rich Scangarello. Van Dyke lit up the second half of last season. He must repeat that performance over a full campaign. Richardson is a raw mound of elite athletic traits. Finally, McKee is a 6’6″ pro-style quarterback coming out of Stanford, and he must help the program rise from the malaise of the last three seasons.
To take the next step, Stroud simply needs to build on what he’s already done. Last season, the Ohio State starter became the only quarterback at the FBS level to finish top-five in completion percentage (71.9), passing yardage (4,435), passing touchdowns (44), yards per attempt (10.1) and quarterback rating (186.6).
Anything close to or exceeding those numbers will cement Stroud’s status as not only the top quarterback prospect but also the leading candidate for the first overall pick (yes, even over Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. because of positional value).
The third-year signal-caller knows he must improve in certain areas, particularly in leading the offense and becoming a louder voice in the locker room.
“He’s speaking up. He’s more mature. He wants to win,” wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba told reporters. “You know, we’re all fired up. He’s a competitor, and no one wants to win more than him, and he wants to bring that to the whole team and spread it out.”
Head coach Ryan Day added: “I think that C.J. has really grown in terms of his leadership this year, and just has a much more, you know, wide perspective on everything that’s going on, not just his job. He sees it almost as a coach right now. I know his No. 1 thing is he wants to win, and everything else is secondary. And he’s practiced that way.”
A better understanding of and an increased comfortability within the offense should speed up Stroud’s process. Like most young quarterbacks, the one-year starter could be quicker to get off his first read and work his way through his progression to the point where it becomes far more natural in how he sees the field.
The Buckeyes’ current setup provides a significant task, with Stroud needing to grow mentally within the scheme while taking on more responsibility with a reworked supporting cast. He is now the focal point of the offense. Everything flows through him and how he distributes the ball.
Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a touchdown reception during the Buckeyes’ 48-45 Rose Bowl victory over the Utah Utes. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Ohio State remains extremely talented at receiver with Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka. But the group isn’t nearly as experienced as the one from last year, when two first rounders—Wilson and Chris Olave—flanked the formation. Essentially, the roles reversed, with Stroud set to make his targets into top-end prospects.
Stroud fits the prototype of a professional quarterback. His traits as a passer are evident. He’s playing at the highest level possible and producing against top competition. He has ample opportunity to build an already impressive resume. Maybe Stroud will even capture his own Heisman Trophy.
Either way, this season should serve as the coronation of Stroud as the nation’s best quarterback and top option in 2023 even if he doesn’t walk away with 45 pounds of Ed Smith-shaped cast bronze.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury in U.S. District Court ordered the NFL to pay nearly $4.8 billion in damages Thursday after ruling that the league violated antitrust laws in distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on a premium subscription service.
The jury awarded $4.7 billion in damages to the residential class and $96 million in damages to the commercial class. Since damages can be tripled under federal antitrust laws, the NFL could end up being liable for $14.39 billion.
The lawsuit covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses in the United States who paid for the package of out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons on DirecTV. The lawsuit claimed the league broke antitrust laws by selling its package of Sunday games at an inflated price. The subscribers also say the league restricted competition by offering “Sunday Ticket” only on a satellite provider.
The NFL said it would appeal the verdict. That appeal would go to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and then possibly the Supreme Court.
Should the NFL end up paying damages, it could cost each of the 32 teams approximately $449.6 million.
“We are disappointed with the jury’s verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit,” the league said in a statement. “We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which features all NFL games broadcast on free over-the-air television in the markets of the participating teams and national distribution of our most popular games, supplemented by many additional choices including RedZone, Sunday Ticket and NFL+, is by far the most fan friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment.
“We will certainly contest this decision as we believe that the class action claims in this case are baseless and without merit.”
The trial lasted three weeks and featured testimony from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
“Justice was done. The verdict upholds protection for the consumers in our class. It was a great day for consumers,” plaintiffs attorney Bill Carmody said.
During his closing remarks, Carmody showed an April, 2017, NFL memo that showed the league was exploring a world without “Sunday Ticket” in 2017, where cable channels would air Sunday afternoon out-of-market games not shown on Fox or CBS.
The jury of five men and three women deliberated for nearly five hours before reaching its decision.
Judge Philip S. Gutierrez is scheduled to hear post-trial motions on July 31, including the NFL’s request to have him rule in favor of the league because the judge determined the plaintiffs did not prove their case.
Payment of damages, any changes to the “Sunday Ticket” package and/or the ways the NFL carries its Sunday afternoon games would be stayed until all appeals have been concluded.
The league maintained it had the right to sell “Sunday Ticket” under its antitrust exemption for broadcasting. The plaintiffs said that only covers over-the-air broadcasts and not pay TV.
Other professional sports leagues were also keeping an eye on this case since they also offer out-of-market packages. A major difference though is that MLB, the NBA and the NHL market their packages on multiple distributors and share in the revenue per subscriber instead of receiving an outright rights fee.
DirecTV had “Sunday Ticket” from its inception in 1994 through 2022. The league signed a seven-year deal with Google’s YouTube TV that began with the 2023 season.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 by the Mucky Duck sports bar in San Francisco but was dismissed in 2017. Two years later, the 9th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over California and eight other states, reinstated the case. Gutierrez ruled last year the case could proceed as a class action.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Olympic team is one of a handful that will supply air conditioners for their athletes at the Paris Games in a move that undercuts organizers’ plans to cut carbon emissions.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirshland said Friday that while the U.S. team appreciates efforts aimed at sustainability, the federation would be supplying AC units for what is typically the largest contingent of athletes at the Summer Games.
“As you can imagine, this is a period of time in which consistency and predictability is critical for Team USA’s performance,” Hirshland said. “In our conversations with athletes, this was a very high priority and something that the athletes felt was a critical component in their performance capability.”
The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada and Britain were among the other countries with plans to bring air conditioners to France.
Olympic organizers have touted plans to cool rooms in the Athletes Village, which will house more than 15,000 Olympians and sports officials over the course of the games, using a system of cooling pipes underneath the floors.
The average high in Paris on Aug. 1 is 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). The objective is to keep the rooms between 23-26 degrees (73-79 degrees Fahrenheit). The rooms will also be equipped with fans.
“I want the Paris Games to be exemplary from an environmental point of view,” Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has said about the plans for the Olympics.
According to the International Energy Agency, fewer than 1 in 10 households in Europe has air conditioning, and the numbers in Paris are lower than that. The study said that of the 1.6 billion AC units in use across the globe in 2016, more than half were in China (570 million) and the United States (375 million). The entire European Union had around 100 million.
The Olympics mark the most important stop on the athletic careers of the 10,500-plus athletes who will descend on Paris, which has led some high-profile countries to undercut environmental efforts for the sake of comfort.
“It’s a high-performance environment,” Australian Olympic Committee spokesman Strath Gordon explained to The Post.
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers seemed determined to keep playing. And playing. And playing.
The teams opened their Eastern Conference final playoff series with Florida’s 3-2 victory in four overtimes early Friday, with the game ranking as the sixth-longest game in NHL history.
Matthew Tkachuk’s goal came at the 19:47 mark of the fourth OT to end this one, which marked the 15th four-overtime game in NHL history and the longest game in franchise history for each team.
The longest game in NHL history came on March 24, 1936, when the Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Maroons 1-0 in the sixth overtime on Mud Bruneteau’s goal at 116 minutes, 30 seconds of extra play.
Florida’s previous record for longest game was 104:31 in Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup final against Colorado. Carolina’s previous record was 114:47 for Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup final.
The only good news for the teams is they had an extended break before this series began. Carolina closed out New Jersey exactly a week earlier, while Florida eliminated Toronto a day later.
But this game ended roughly six hours after Thursday night’s puck drop, and the teams have a Game 2 in less than 48 hours.
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
