CJ Stroud Falls Outside Top 10 in Latest QB Power Rankings
Context:
C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans quarterback, experienced a challenging second NFL season after an impressive rookie year where he earned Rookie of the Year honors with 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns. The struggles in his sophomore season were largely due to a weak offensive line and injuries to key receivers, leading to him being sacked frequently and throwing 12 interceptions. This caused his ranking to drop to 13th in CBS Sports' quarterback power rankings, behind players like Brock Purdy and Baker Mayfield. Despite these setbacks, Stroud's leadership remains strong, and there is optimism for a comeback as the Texans have strengthened their offensive line and added new wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Sports journalist Ryan Cook expresses confidence in Stroud's potential to regain his passing prowess in the upcoming season.
Dive Deeper:
C.J. Stroud's rookie year performance set high expectations as he threw for over 4,000 yards and 23 touchdowns, making him a potential MVP candidate behind stars like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
His second season was marred by a poor offensive line and injuries to receivers Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs, resulting in Stroud being the third-most sacked quarterback and throwing 12 interceptions.
These challenges led to a dip in Stroud's reputation within the league and media, as reflected in his drop to 13th place in CBS Sports' quarterback power rankings, trailing Brock Purdy and Baker Mayfield.
Despite the setbacks, Stroud's resilience and leadership qualities have been noted positively, with analysts like Cody Benjamin expecting his passing skills to return.
The Houston Texans addressed these issues by drafting wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, along with reinforcing their offensive line, which could pave the way for Stroud's resurgence.
Ryan Cook, a seasoned sports journalist, emphasizes Stroud's potential for a strong comeback, highlighting the strategic team improvements that could bolster his performance.
Overall, there is a sense of optimism surrounding Stroud's future as the Texans gear up for a more successful season with a reinforced roster and a motivated quarterback at the helm.
This time last year, the love affair with Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was still in its honeymoon phase.
The former second overall pick had just earned Rookie of the Year honors after throwing for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns, leading many to believe he could be a potential MVP candidate behind yearly favorites Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
While it was far from a sophomore slump, the ensuing season saw Stroud struggle behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines, suffering the third-most sacks on his way to throwing 12 interceptions.
Injuries to key receivers, Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs, hardly helped, and as so often is the case in the NFL, Stroud’s overall perception in the league and the media has suffered slightly as a result.
In a recent set of quarterback power rankings published by CBS Sports, writer Cody Benjamin had the following to say about Stroud after ranking him No. 13 behind the likes of Brock Purdy and Baker Mayfield.
“Almost all the magic of his 2023 debut faded behind a bad front and banged-up offense in Year 2. He never hangs his head as a leader, though. We're betting the passing authority will soon return.”
After adding Iowa State wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the second and third rounds, and also strengthening the offensive line through the draft, a bounce back year for Stroud feels imminent.