Tag: C.J. Stroud NFL draft

Texans QB C.J. Stroud breaks down emotions returning to Arrowhead Stadium

Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud understands there’s an emotional return heading back to Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday.

C.J. Stroud understands that his emotions could run high when the Houston Texans take the field at Arrowhead Stadium.

How could they not for the second-year quarterback? The last time he was here, Houston watched as wide receiver Tank Dell was carted off with a season-ending knee injury.

Not only is Dell Stroud’s best friend, but he’s a constant force in the passing game. And barring a speedy recovery, Dell isn’t expected back until potentially 2026.

But the Texans are more than Dell. They’re more than Stroud. They’re also more than a doormat or “final practice” for Kansas City en route to a sixth consecutive AFC championship appearance.

So Stroud knows that even with Dell in his heart, a victory is the top thing on his mind. That the motivation needed for Houston to strike.

“We’ve got to go do it for him away in the same stadium he got hurt. We’ve got to find a way to not get emotional and channel that,” Stroud said Tuesday. “I think we’ll be able to do that. It will be more inspiring than anything, and we’ll try to get it done for him.”

Looking back, Dell’s injury was the turning point in Week 16’s 27-19 loss. Houston pulled within a point after the 30-yard score with 11:40 left in the third quarter. Medical assistance slowed down the game, but the severity of the play slowed down Houston’s momentum.

Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the PAT to make it 17-16. Two drives later, Chiefs rookie receiver Xavier Worthy punched in an 8-yard touchdown as Kansas City coasted.

The offense struggled the rest of the afternoon, totaling 39 yards on three drives that resulted in a pair of three-and-outs.

Dell won’t make the trip with Houston to Arrowhead, but he did stop by to see the team before Saturday’s win over the Chargers. He was on crutches while wearing a large brace around his knee on the sidelines during pregame, but it seems like he was in high spirits.

That jolted life into the locker room, according to Stroud. Three hours later, Houston was moving on after a double-digit victory.

“Tank means a lot to our team. As you see with the guys, seeing him on the sideline, seeing the T-shirts, it’s real love,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said.  “And everybody loves Tank. And I love Tank. We miss him”

With a win, the Texans would advance to their first conference championship appearance in franchise history. Even as an 8-point underdog, most fans believe beating the Chiefs is an easier path than traveling to take on the Buffalo Bills or Baltimore Ravens.

Stroud said the offense has to be on its “A-game” to secure a win. The margin of error is thin against the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

“This team is really motivated to go out there and play some good ball against a great Kansas City team that’s been in these moments forever,” Strous said. “We know it’s going to take all of us.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and ABC.

Texans boost interior offensive line in latest 2025 mock draft

In the latest mock draft from For The Win!, the Houston Texans shore up their offensive line with the selection of an All-American.

If C.J. Stroud plans to stay upright in 2025, the Houston Texans need an All-American guard to pair alongside Laremy Tusnil.

Consider that mission accomplished based on one mock draft to start the new year.

Christian D’Andrea’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft from For The Win! has the Texans shoring up their trenches with the selection of Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker with the 19th overall pick in the first round.

Houston’s draft plan is simple on Day 1 entering the wild-card round of the playoffs: take the best lineman available and worry about the rest later. 

The interior of the Texans line is a disaster and it’s had a drastic impact on C.J. Stroud’s development. The former Pro Bowler saw his pressure rate rise from 35 to 39 percent and dropped his average throw distance from 8.2 yards downfield to seven.

While the Texans could pivot toward the defensive line, their inability to secure a long-term left guard makes Booker’s selection intriguing. The junior comes from an offense built on a ground game emphasis under both Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer.

Is it the sexiest pick in a draft filled with defensive studs? Not at all. Most fans are hoping with Tank Dell’s injury woes that Houston will take a pass-catcher to build up Stroud’s production. 

But finesse only works when physicality is evident. The Texans must fix their power up the middle if expectations are for Stroud to connect with his targets in 2025. 

Booker provides that and then some. 

He’s a high-floor blocker who can be an immediate asset. He can play multiple positions up front and create pancakes from all of them. He can play hyperactive at times, but he’s a bulldozer who understands his assignments.

The Texans close the regular season on the road against the Tennessee Titans. Kickoff from Nissan Stadium is scheduled for noon CT. 

All 32 NFL quarterbacks (including C.J. Stroud) ranked by Total QBR

How did C.J. Stroud perform during the team’s 31-2 loss against the Baltimore Ravens? The QBR ranking is not kind.

Houston Texans second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud posted a Total QBR rating of 13.4 in the team’s 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, bringing his season-long Total QBR average to 49.0.

Nix’s season-long rating has dipped since last week (51.1) and his overall rank (No. 21) among current starters is down two spots since last week (No. 19).

Nix’s traditional passer rating this season is 86.0, which ranks 24th.

Unlike a traditional passer rating, the Total QBR “incorporates all of a quarterback’s contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers and penalties,” according to ESPN.

The metric takes into account scenarios that a traditional passer rating overlooks and considers “a team’s level of success or failure on every play to provide the proper context and then allocates credit to the quarterback and his teammate to produce a clearer measure of quarterback efficiency.”

With that context in mind, here’s a look at how Stroud stacks up against the NFL’s other starting quarterbacks entering the Week 18 regular-season finale.

NFL QBs ranked by Total QBR after Week 17

  1. Lamar Jackson: 78.0
  2. Joe Burrow: 76.7
  3. Josh Allen: 76.7
  4. Jayden Daniels: 72.4
  5. Jordan Love: 69.8
  6. Patrick Mahomes: 68.5
  7. Brock Purdy: 67.8
  8. Jared Goff: 67.1
  9. Kyler Murray: 66.9
  10. Jalen Hurts: 66.1
  11. Matthew Stafford: 64.7
  12. Sam Darnold: 63.4
  13. Justin Herbert: 61.8
  14. Baker Mayfield: 59.4
  15. Drake Maye: 59.0
  16. Bo Nix: 54.1
  17. Russell Wilson: 53.0
  18. Geno Smith: 52.7
  19. Aidan O’Connell: 50.6
  20. Drew Lock: 50.3
  21. C.J. Stroud: 49.0
  22. Aaron Rodgers: 48.3
  23. Bryce Young: 48.0
  24. Anthony Richardson: 46.5
  25. Caleb Williams: 45.5
  26. Michael Penix: 44.1
  27. Cooper Rush: 40.4
  28. Mac Jones: 39.3
  29. Spencer Rattler: 36.9
  30. Tyler Huntley: 36.7
  31. Will Levis: 30.2
  32. Dorian Thompson-Robinson: 18.9

Stroud will look to improve his Total QBR rating when the Texans travel to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Kickoff from Nissan Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

All 32 NFL quarterbacks (including C.J. Stroud) ranked by Total QBR entering Week 16

Here’s where Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud stacks up among other passers in QBR entering Week 16.

Houston Texans second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud saw his passer rating drop following a 20-12 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 15.  His Total QBR rating of 48.3 remained intact among all 32 passers.

Stroud’s season-long rating remains in good standing entering the final four games of the regular season, but he still ranks among the bottom half of passers at No. 23 overall.

Stroud’s traditional passer rating this season is 87.8, which ranks 22nd.

Unlike a traditional passer rating, the Total QBR “incorporates all of a quarterback’s contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers and penalties,” according to ESPN.

The metric takes into account scenarios that a traditional passer rating overlooks and considers “a team’s level of success or failure on every play to provide the proper context and then allocates credit to the quarterback and his teammate to produce a clearer measure of quarterback efficiency.”

With that context in mind, here’s a look at how Stroud stacks up against the NFL’s other starting quarterbacks this fall entering Christmas weekend.

NFL QBs ranked by Total QBR after Week 15

  1. Michael Penix: 95.3
  2. Josh Allen: 79.3
  3. Lamar Jackson: 76.0
  4. Joe Burrow: 74.0
  5. Kyler Murray: 68.3
  6. Jayden Daniels: 67.9
  7. Matthew Stafford: 66.4
  8. Jordan Love: 66.3
  9. Jared Goff: 65.6
  10. Jalen Hurts: 65.4
  11. Brock Purdy: 65.2
  12. Patrick Mahomes: 64.6
  13. Tua Tagovailoa: 61.2
  14. Sam Darnold: 60.2
  15. Drake Maye: 58.7
  16. Justin Herbert: 56.5
  17. Baker Mayfield: 56.1
  18. Russell Wilson: 55.3
  19. Aaron Rodgers: 53.9
  20. Mason Rudolph: 53.4
  21. Bo Nix: 52.2
  22. Geno Smith: 52.1
  23. C.J. Stroud: 49.8
  24. Caleb Williams: 48.1
  25. Anthony Richardson: 46.5
  26. Drew Lock: 45.3
  27. Bryce Young: 44.0
  28. Spencer Rattler: 42.0
  29. Aidan O’Connell: 40.7
  30. Cooper Rush: 36.3
  31. Mac Jones: 34.1
  32. Dorian Thompson-Robinson: 16.

Fresh off winning the AFC South division title for the second straight season, Stroud will look to improve his Total QBR rating when the Texans travel north to take the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud comments on loss of WR Stefon Diggs

The Houston Texans will be without one of their top players in Stefon Diggs for the remainder of the 2024 season.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said he didn’t have the words to describe the loss of Stefon Diggs.

It’s a next-man-up mentality inside the Texans’ locker room, but the second-year passer knows the season will be different without the four-time Pro Bowler by his side.

“You can’t really — you try to think positively about it, but it’s not a bunch of positive thoughts,” Stroud said. “I just feel bad for him. I’m praying for him.”

Diggs suffered a torn ACL on a non-contact injury during Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts and will miss the remainder of the regular season. He’s expected to make a full recovery and play in 2025.
While attempting to run a route against Kenny Moore, Diggs grabbed his leg and immediately dropped to the ground. While he was able to walk off on his own pressure, he headed to the locker room and did not return to the field.

“He was having one of the best times he’s ever had on a team, at least that’s what he told us,” Stroud said. “I just feel for him and praying for him and just hoping that he keeps his head up high and he’ll bounce back even stronger.”
Acquired from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a second-round pick, Diggs was expected to be the constant No. 2 option for Stroud’s passing attack in a breakout year.
With the Texans voiding the final years of his contract, Diggs will become a free agent next offseason, meaning he could play elsewhere in 2025.
“He’s one guy who gave his all to everything we ever asked him to do,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s hurting and we’re hurting for him as well.”
A consistent playmaker during his time with the Bills and Minnesota Vikings, Diggs served as the Texans’ top option once Nico Collins was placed on the injured reserve. Before the injury, he ranked seventh in the NFL in catches (47) and was second on the Texans in receiving yards (496).

He was on pace for a season-high performance Sunday after hauling in a 49-yard catch in the third quarter. Diggs left with a team-leading five receptions for 81 yards.

“His impact is huge,” Stroud said. “Stef has been somebody who you know you can lean on as a friend, as a teammate, as a brother, somebody who gives you life advice and somebody who just is an OG, just a vet, has played a lot of ball and lived a lot of life.”

Right now, the Texans don’t seem interested in adding a receiver before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 5. Their options are also limited after the Ravens traded for Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson Tuesday afternoon.

Davante Adams (Jets), Amari Cooper (Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs) were all other options that were traded to AFC contenders earlier this month. Jacksonville’s Christian Krik was expected to be moved before he suffered a season-ending broken collarbone on Sunday.

Houston has weapons outside Diggs and Collins, but the production hasn’t matched the hype entering Week 9. Tank Dell, who broke out with 709 receiving yards in 11 games as a rookie, is third on the Texans in receiving yards (229) and touchdowns (2).

He also caught a 7-yard touchdown pass in Sunday’s win over the Colts during the second quarter.

“Tank has been an explosive player in college he was explosive, he has been explosive for us,” Ryans said. “Tank just has to be Tank.”

 

The Texans envision Dell as a franchise cornerstone, so he’ll need to step up as the new No. 1 until Collins can return.
Dell’s not alone, however, since Robert Woods, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson are all expected to produce starting Thursday night against the New York Jets.
“Everybody has got to step up,” Dell said. “Even if you are one of the star players, you still have to step up and do more and produce more. I know all of us are more than capable of doing that. So, we are going to try to go out there and make plays.”

Where does C.J. Stroud rank among starting QBs in Total QBR?

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud remains one of the top passers in QBR rankings entering Week 6.

Despite overall offensive limitations this season, Houston Texans second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud isn’t slowing down. A week after throwing for over 300 yards in a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Stroud sliced and diced the Buffalo Bills’ secondary with a 331-yard outing en route to a 23-20 win.

With that positive performance, Stroud rose from No. 11 to No. 9 in ESPN’s Total QBR rankings this week. ESPN gave Stroud a 78.4 Total QBR rating against the Bills, his best of the season.

Stroud’s traditional passer rating against Buffalo was 97.6, which actually represented one of his lower ratings of the year. It’s still a promising look, but far from the standard for the second-year target.

Unlike a traditional passer rating, the Total QBR “incorporates all of a quarterback’s contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers and penalties,” according to ESPN.

The metric also considers scenarios that a traditional passer rating overlooks and  looks at “a team’s level of success or failure on every play to provide the proper context and then allocates credit to the quarterback and his teammate to produce a clearer measure of quarterback efficiency.”

Through five games, Stroud’s thrown three interceptions and been sacked 14 times. Two turnovers came in the 34-7 loss against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3.

Here’s a look at where Stroud stacks up against the NFL’s other starting quarterbacks entering Week 6.

NFL QBs ranked by Total QBR entering Week 6

  1. Josh Allen: 77.6
  2. Joe Burrow: 73.6
  3. Jayden Daniels: 73.2
  4. Andy Dalton: 67.1
  5. Lamar Jackson: 67.1
  6. Kyler Murray: 66.4
  7. Brock Purdy: 66.0
  8. C.J. Stroud: 64.4
  9. Baker Mayfield: 64.0
  10. Derek Carr: 63.6
  11. Geno Smith: 63.5
  12. Daniel Jones: 61.3
  13. Jalen Hurts: 59.3
  14. Sam Darnold: 58.7
  15. Dak Prescott: 56.8
  16. Patrick Mahomes: 55.8
  17. Kirk Cousins: 55.2
  18. Matthew Stafford: 53.8
  19. Trevor Lawrence: 53.2
  20. Anthony Richardson: 49.3
  21. Aaron Rodgers: 49.1
  22. Justin Fields: 48.0
  23. Jordan Love: 46.1
  24. Jared Goff: 44.8
  25. Bo Nix: 43.1
  26. Justin Herbert: 41.8
  27. Gardner Minshew: 41.1
  28. Jacoby Brissett: 38.9
  29. Caleb Williams: 36.3
  30. Will Levis: 27.3
  31. Tyler Huntley: 23.5
  32. Deshaun Watson: 21.0

Nix and the Broncos will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Where will one of the top quarterback prospects be drafted?

The California native parlayed a strong high school career into being a top-50 recruit, so it’s no surprise Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud wound up with a marquee program. He redshirted as a true freshman behind Justin Fields before unleashing a fantastic showing during his first year as a starter in 2021.

Stroud was rewarded with being named the Big Ten Quarterback, Freshman, and Offensive Player of the Year as well as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Despite losing wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave to the NFL prior to the 2022 season, and seeing his presumed top target, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, held to only three contests because of injury, Stroud was once again a Heisman finalist after finishing second in FBS touchdown strikes.

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 214 pounds
40 time: 4.50 seconds

There’s a lot to like about his game heading into the NFL, and it will be surprising if he falls past No. 2 overall. The Carolina Panthers hold the top spot, and while most prognosticators seem to be leaning toward Stroud as the pick, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen recently said the Panthers are locked in on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Either way, with three of the first four teams atop the board in dire need of a franchise passer, Stroud won’t have to wait long to hear his name called on draft day.

Table: C.J. Stroud stats (2020-22)

Year School Class G Passing Rushing
Cmp Att Pct Yds AY/A TD Int Att Yds TD
*2020 Ohio State Fr 1 0 0 — 0 — 0 0 1 48 1
*2021 Ohio State rFr 12 317 441 71.9 4,435 11.4 44 6 32 -20 0
*2022 Ohio State rSo 13 258 389 66.3 3,688 10.9 41 6 47 108 0

*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

Pros

  • The most consistently accurate quarterback of the class and can fit passes into tight windows on all three levels of the route tree — his ability to control trajectory is simply impressive
  • At his best throwing slants and posts — puts the ball on the money and gives the receiver a chance to house it in stride
  • Mobile within the pocket and always keeps his feet moving as he’s scanning the field
  • Stood out against premier competition at the highest level
  • Natural feel for the game — senses pressure, finds open lanes, anticipates receivers uncovering, rises to the occasion
  • Squares up properly when flushed out of the pocket
  • More than enough arm strength to attack anywhere on the field and also has the desire to do so with his talents
  • Surveys the field well enough to get through several reads in a timely manner
  • Throws one of the most catchable balls, rarely drilling one too hot in the flats or forcing a breaking receiver to adjust his route
  • Despite being asked to do a lot in 2022, he had the wherewithal to dial it back to play within the confines of the situation when needed
  • Played through a separated shoulder in 2021
  • Unafraid of taking a shot from a defender barreling down on him

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Cons

  • Occasionally gets locked onto his top read, which was easy to understand in 2021 given his receiver. Can be late to reach the correct throw because of this
  • Offers no threat as a runner in the open field
  • Could use a few tweaks from pro coaches to maximize leg drive
  • Presnap protection reads are a work-in-progress

Fantasy football outlook

Personally, I’ll be shocked if Carolina doesn’t choose Stroud. He fits the prototypical mold of what head coach Frank Reich loves in a quarterback. The Panthers have Andy Dalton under contract to serve as a mentor and/or even start the first few games if Reich feels the former Buckeye isn’t quite ready yet.

If Stroud winds up in Houston, expect him to immediately replace Davis Mills without hesitation. Personnel-wise, it’s mostly a coin flip as to which team has more targets. Carolina sports a slightly better veteran presence in its receiving corps for stronger immediate results, though Houston offers a few pieces with whom Stroud can grow together. To-may-toe, to-tmaht-toe.

Carolina didn’t trade up only to trade out, so let’s just assume they prefer Young and Houston somehow wants to go in a different direction, there’s basically no chance Indianapolis will pass on Stroud at No. 4. In fact, another team could try to trade into No. 3 (Arizona) to secure his services.

Year 1 fantasy football returns will be minimal, at best, regardless of where he plays. Generally, rookie quarterbacks without the wheels of someone like Fields or Lamar Jackson struggle to make any kind of serious impact in fantasy. You’ll find a few notable exceptions, of course, but no one should enter single-year fantasy drafts with Stroud being in their 2023 plans. He has rock-solid QB1 upside in the long term and should be the first quarterback chosen in most dynasty settings.