Why C.J. Stroud’s pre-NFL Draft test scores raised concerns

C.J. Stroud’s reported S2 Cognition test score had some folks wondering if he’d fall a bit in the 2023 NFL Draft.

As the 2023 NFL Draft kicks off, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will soon know which franchise he’ll be playing for to start his professional career.

However, Stroud’s draft status could be affected by his S2 Cognition, which the NFL reportedly uses to gauge a quarterback’s ability to process information.

Stroud’s reported “18” score on the test made some folks wonder if he might not go as high as expected in this year’s draft class. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young reportedly scored a “98” on the exam for comparison.

The Ohio State quarterback responded to the reported test results with a defense of what he can do on the field.

“”I’m a football player. … I’m not an S2 taker,” Stroud said via NFL. “But shout out to S2, man, they probably have a good system, what they do, no diss to them. But I know who I am, and I know what I can do on that field. And I’ll do that at the next level.”

We’ll know soon enough if this test score hampers Stroud’s draft standing, or if he goes plenty early in the 2023 NFL Draft to a team like the Houston Texans at pick 2.