Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud faced a lot of questions about his coachability and ability to process information at high speeds in the pre-draft process.
In the end, that all might have been a smoke screen created by teams trying to tank his draft stock so they could draft him. The Houston Texans selected the two-time Heisman Trophy finalist with the second overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Though Stroud has yet to throw a pass in an NFL game, his play in rookie training camp is already turning heads.
Veteran quarterback Case Keenum raved about Stroud’s ability.
#Texans QB Case Keenum gave high praise to both Davis Mills and C.J. during his QB camp today.
Mentioned that Mills can “sling it” & has been impressed with his leadership.
As for Stroud, he’s been here three weeks but Case would have thought he could have been a “4-5 yr vet.” pic.twitter.com/D8ncgPIRNe
— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) June 3, 2023
“He’s been here what? Three weeks maybe?” Texans quarterback and 11-year NFL veteran Case Keenum said. “I would never know that. I would thought he had been here a year, been in the league, been a four-, five-year vet.”
Keenum raved about Stroud’s accuracy and his ability to immediately step onto the field and control an NFL huddle.
“He’s no-huddle in college. To come in and run a pro-style offense that’s wordy. Like, it’s not just like ‘all go.’ There’s a lot more than that,” Keenum said. “A lot of zip on the ball and great feet. Under center stuff, he’s not afraid to try new things and has jumped right in and has not missed a beat.”
While there’s a long way to go until the season, quotes like this will certainly make Texans fans feel confident their team got their high-stakes draft pick correct.
