Ohio State Football: Is C.J. Stroud set to be a Panther?

Former Ohio State football player C.J. Stroud performed very well at the Combine. He was one of many Buckeyes who showed off his skills to scouts and GMs alike and improved his draft stock. He is trying to be in the conversation for the number one overall pick.

With the Bears having traded that pick to the quarterback-needy Carolina Panthers, his chances of achieving that goal have gone up. Now that there is a team that needs a quarterback with that first pick, Stroud can tailor his Pro Day toward one specific team.

The question now is who do the Panthers want with that first pick? Stroud and Bryce Young seem to be the two quarterbacks that most think are worthy of that top spot, but there have been rumors that they also like Anthony Richardson out of Florida too.

Stroud now could be the favorite to be that first overall pick. He measured well and threw well at the Combine and should do the same on his Pro Day. Frank Reich is now the coach of the Panthers and is looking to actually have a franchise quarterback start for his team for more than one year.

In my opinion, it comes down to Stroud and Young for Carolina. Having watched Reich operate for the past five years when he was the coach of the Colts, I think he’ll lean toward Stroud because of the physical traits. He seems like a safer pick than Young because of that.

Even if Stroud doesn’t go number one overall, he won’t fall past the Colts at four. He is going to be the highest-drafted Ohio State football player since 2020 when Chase Young and Jeff Okudah were taken two and three respectively. Stroud will be in an elite company.

We’ll find out where he gets taken in about six weeks. Until then, we wait.