When the Houston Texans took quarterback C.J. Stroud with the second-overall pick in April’s draft it signaled a seismic change for the franchise that is sure to affect the team’s trajectory for years to come. Desperately in need of a quarterback, the Texans settled for Stroud after Bryce Young, the purported best signal caller in the class, was taken with the first overall selection.
But to hear Joshua Keatley of Buckeyes Wire tell it, Houston’s fans shouldn’t feel like their beloved Texans settled.
In speaking to Keatley shortly after the draft, it became quickly apparent that Stroud was a premier playmaker at Ohio State, and that his game should translate well to the NFL level early in his career.
“Stroud has elite arm talent that allows him to hit every bit of grass on the field and he will immediately enter the league as one of the most accurate passers, especially when talking about the deep ball,” Keatley explained. “The Houston Texans desperately needed a franchise passer, and they got one in Stroud, who is a prototypical pocket passer who could have been the first selection in most NFL drafts.”
Though he was bullish on the quarterback’s compatibility with the Texans’ new-look offense, Keatley wasn’t so enthusiastic about the quarterback’s draft slot, though he made it clear that the role Stroud will play for the team should outweigh any qualms to that end.
“I don’t want to say Houston got a steal, because it was the second pick in the draft, but Stroud is the ideal fit for Houston, even over a guy like Bryce Young,” Keatley said. “Young may be the better prospect, but Stroud is the better fit for the Texans. Stroud has the higher floor and is much less of an injury risk due to their size difference and obvious difference in play style.
“Stroud has an even-keeled personality that should be well equipped to handle the hardships and rebuilding process ahead. I know there were rumors that the coaching staff was not sold on Stroud, but my assumption is that Stroud is a much more laid back person than the other top tier quarterback prospects, but with the situation bound to be frustrating in Houston for a few years, that should lead to his personality and patience being a huge benefit.”
While some may see Keatley’s assessments of Stroud as a sort of homerism, it seems that the Texans would tend to agree with his thorough assessment of the field general’s skillset and moxie. Time will tell if Stroud can rise to stardom in Houston and help rebuild the ailing franchise, but if Keatley’s breakdown and the Texans’ decision to draft him with the second overall pick is any indication, the team should have a rock-solid rookie slinging the ball in 2023 and for years to come.
