Football: Stroud declares for NFL Draft, departs as one of greatest QBs in Ohio State history

Casey Smith
Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:58:18 +0000
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Ohio State third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) has entered his name in the 2023 NFL Draft. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud announced on Twitter Monday that he is declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft.

The much-anticipated announcement came on the final day Stroud had to declare whether he was leaving or returning to the Buckeyes for a fourth year, but as he moves on from Ohio State, he looks one of the top selections in April’s draft.

Stroud said the decision between returning or going to the NFL was “one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make.”

“This process has been difficult,” Stroud said in a statement. “As a kid, I dreamed of playing football at the highest level and after much prayer, I’ve made the decision that it’s time to turn those dreams into a reality.”

The Inland Empire, California, native finishes his career as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in Ohio State history.

His 85 touchdown passes, 8,123 passing yards and 69.3 completion percentage all rank second in program history behind J.T. Barrett’s 104 touchdowns and 9,434 yards and Dwayne Haskins’ 70 percent completion percentage.

Stroud owns the single-game passing yards record as the only Buckeye signal caller to eclipse 500 yards in a game, reaching 573 against Utah in the 2021 Rose Bowl. In that comeback win against the Utes, he also threw for six touchdowns — which tied a program record. With his six-touchdown performance last season against Michigan State, he is the only Ohio State quarterback to throw for six touchdowns in three different games.

His two years as a starter in Columbus led him to New York City where he was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, while winning back-to-back Big Ten’s Graham-George Offensive Player of the Years and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year.

In Stroud’s lone College Football Playoff appearance last season, he completed 23 of 34 passes for 348 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 34 yards on the ground.

Like most Stroud press conferences, he opened his statement by thanking his “Lord and Savior” for his “health, favor and opportunity,” as he has leaned on his faith throughout his career.

Stroud thanked his family, teammates, coaches and staff at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, among others, for “building that young 18 year old redshirt into the man that I am today.”

Stroud said it’s been a “helluva ride” before thanking Ohio State students, alumni and fans for “welcoming a kid from Cali into the Buckeye family.”

“This ain’t goodbye… Buckeye For Life!” Stroud said.