Houston Texans’ star quarterback C.J. Stroud fell short of his first nomination at the ESPYS. Stroud was one of four players nominated for Breakthrough Athlete of the Year, which USC freshman JuJu Watkins won.

Although Stroud did not take home the ESPY award Thursday night, the recognition showcased his dominance as a rookie quarterback during the 2023 season.

Stroud’s stellar inaugural season ended with him becoming the first player in franchise history to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also became the first quarterback since Deshaun Watson to receive a Pro Bowl honor.

The Texans drafted Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he immediately made an impact on the franchise. He put together one of the greatest seasons by a rookie quarterback in league history, finishing with 4,557 total passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and five interceptions — all including the postseason.

Stroud’s best moment of the season came during the Texans’ Week 9 comeback victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He finished with 470 passing yards, going 30-for-42 with five touchdowns and no interceptions to lead Houston to a 39-37 victory.

Stroud and Watkins were in a class of some of the top Athletes who became household names over the previous 12 months. Artistic gymnast Haleigh Bryant and San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama round out the rest of the category.

Watkins’ breakout season led to the USC Trojans Women’s Basketball team finishing the 2023-24 season with a 29-6 record. She averaged 27.1 points, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks across 34 games.