The Houston Texans selected quarterback C.J. Stroud second overall in the 2023 NFL draft with the hope that he could pilot their offense and their franchise to new heights after three abysmal seasons. On Thursday night, Stroud had his first opportunity to represent the Liberty White after holding off Davis Mills in a training camp quarterback competition.
The debut wasn’t quite what Houston fans had dreamed of.
Stroud finished his evening after two drives completing only 2-of-4 passes for 13 yards. His first drive ended in an unfortunate interception to Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills after staring down Tank Dell for longer than he could afford. It was a classic “welcome to the NFL moment” that Stroud will surely learn from moving forward.
Beyond the interception, what can be made of Stroud’s debut?