CJ Stroud shattered all expectations in his rookie season (2023), breaking previous records left right, and center. He eventually went on to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
After the Carolina Panthers took Bryce Young over Stroud, the Ohio State graduate fell in the lap of the Houston Texans. Hardly anyone predicted the Texans would reach the playoffs, let alone Stroud becoming the youngest quarterback ever to win a post-season game.
It’s because of these great achievements, that ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes CJ Stroud has set the bar very high for rookie quarterbacks.
Every quarterback now entering the league is going to be measured up against CJ Stroud because of how he played last year. Better than any other quarterback rookie ever had. Adam Schefter said during the recent episode of Get Up
In his view, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye , Jayden Daniels, and all the other rookie quarterbacks will have their work cut out to match Stroud’s season.
He [CJ Stroud] elevated the bar for rookie quarterbacks. Expectations for first-round draft picks—a rookie quarterback already are high; he made them higher. Adam Schefter argued
He further highlighted that analysts and fans would pounce on any mistakes these young quarterbacks make.
CJ Stroud named the Texans highest ranked player in the NFL’s Top 100 Players list
Stroud took the Texans to the playoffs, which they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. He finished the season with 319 completions for 4108 passing yards (273.9 yards per game was the best in the league) and 23 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions.
It was not just his numbers that brought him recognition but also the way he handled himself during clutch moments. For his spoils last season, CJ Stroud placed 20th in the NFL’s Top 100 players rankings.
The 22-year-old became only the fourth Texans player to feature on the list alongside, wide receiver Stefon Diggs (56), defensive end Danielle Hunter (68), and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (71).
NFL Top 100 Rankings (20-11) ⭐️
20) C.J. Stroud
19) Roquan Smith
18) Justin Jefferson
17) Micah Parsons
16) Dak Prescott
15) Jalen Hurts
14) George Kittle
13) CeeDee Lamb
12) Josh Allen
11) Fred Warner(via @NerdingonNFL) pic.twitter.com/1sRxJJG8eH
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 31, 2024
The NFL released a video announcing Stroud’s inclusion, which had messages from his teammates.
Dude came in just balling. He came in calm [and] definitely came in collective. He was ready to make an impact . Wide receiver Nico Collins said.
The best compliment perhaps came from Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl defensive end Cam Heyward.
He is not a rookie. Cam Heyward can be heard saying in the video
When a seasoned veteran states that, it only proves how much Stroud has earned respect throughout the league. Regardless, if he wants to keep earning respect from his peers, then he must deliver similar results in 2024 as well.
