It wouldn’t be NFL draft season without someone conjuring up some pretty outlandish rumors and off-the-wall speculation. We saw it dominate the news cycle when Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields’ work ethic was questioned, and now we’re seeing it again with C.J. Stroud.
Reports surfaced last week that Stroud had a less-than-desirable score on a cognitive test that’s supposedly looked at to determine a quarterback’s ability to process information. It’s called the S2 test, and according to NFL reporter Bog McGinn, Stroud’s score wasn’t up to NFL scouts’ and executives’ standards they look for out of the position.
Further reports have discredited the usage and reliability of the scores and how much they mean, but the narrative is now set in stone and it seems Stroud’s draft stock has fallen because of it. Once thought to be the No. 1 overall pick, he’s now tumbled down almost every NFL mock draft out there.
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Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch was able to get Ohio State head coach on the record with his reaction to the recent reports, and Day came to his quarterback’s defense and said that he was “very surprised” by what he’s hearing.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day 'very surprised' by report about QB CJ Stroud's cognition ability https://t.co/t13aCmeg1w
— Columbus Dispatch (@DispatchAlerts) April 23, 2023
“Of all the things, I just feel like (his cognitive ability) is one that I’ve always felt was what makes him special,” Day told the Dispatch. “For this to be something that’s a topic of conversation right now is catching me off guard.”
Day was concerned that so much was being put into a test and not what Stroud has seen and done on the field.
“For as much as people are talking about this, I hope it actually translates to on the field because it seems like a pretty heavily spoken-about topic right now. For folks to be talking about a test that may or may not have something to do with football – I don’t know – I just hope whatever they’re testing really translates to on the field.”
You don’t have to turn on the tape and see Stroud’s quick thinking and playmaking ability against some pretty superior defenses. He carved up a very good Georgia defense, and it’s mindboggling to believe that the NFL suits have reservations about a cognitive test that may or may not translate to real results vs. — well, real results. Day went on to make a pretty substantial claim about Stroud that should put it all to rest, but likely won’t.
“I can tell you that when it comes to seeing the field – vision, spatial awareness – he’s one of the best I’ve ever been around,” Day continued. “He can see the field. He knows exactly what he saw and can tell you exactly what happened. And not just where he’s looking. He can see the entire field. He can verbalize what he saw on the last play, why he did what he did.”
We won’t have to wait long to see how this all translates to draft day because someone is going to rip up those test results and take Stroud most likely in the top five of the draft.
We think they’ll feel just fine about the pick.
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