Ohio State is an NFL factory and has produced many good-to-great NFL players at almost every position, with the one exception being quarterback. The Buckeyes’ inability to produce a solid NFL quarterback has been an eternal problem that was beginning to be disproved by C.J. Stroud.
It seemed like Stroud was changing the narrative the moment he set foot in the NFL thanks to his phenomenal rookie season. Leading the Texans to the AFC South crown and a home playoff game victory, all the while looking like the future of the league and the one that would debunk the narrative around OSU quarterbacks at the next level.
Sadly, since then everything has changed as Stroud has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that followed his rookie year. This has shifted public perception, as he went from one of the NFL’s golden boys to being seen as the primary thing holding the Houston Texans back.
That is why Stroud is under immense pressure, as his performance as of late, especially in last year’s playoffs, has forced him into a position where he is effectively playing for a spot in the short-term future of a Super Bowl-caliber team, but this isn’t the only thing he is playing for.
As stated in the opening, Ohio State quarterbacks in the NFL have a bad rap, so this upcoming season Stroud is also playing to help disprove that, in a way he hasn’t done since his rookie year. He will have to bounce back to change the narrative around him as a quarterback and the negative perception of OSU quarterbacks in the NFL, one that isn’t without merit.
The disappointing history
Disappointing is one of the many words you can use to describe Buckeye quarterbacks in the NFL. Since 1971, only one of the 17 OSU quarterbacks drafted has made a Pro Bowl, and that quarterback is C.J. Stroud. Stroud, who, it is important to note, was picked as a replacement for the Pro Bowl games because Patrick Mahomes played in Super Bowl 58.
I don't say this to take anything away from him. Still, it's worth noting that without that replacement selection, schools like Northern Iowa (Kurt Warner), Morehead State (Phil Simms), and Alcorn State (Steve McNair) would have more Pro Bowl selections at the position than this College Football blue blood.
On top of that, the Buckeyes have had 4 quarterbacks selected in the first round, with Stroud being the latest and by far the best, as the 3 before him all had or are having very lackluster careers, with those other 3 quarterbacks being Art Schlichter, Dwayne Haskins, and Justin Fields.
The biggest bust of all of them is easily Art Schlichter, drafted in 1982. This is due to his poor play and major gambling addiction that led him to be banned from the NFL after just 3 seasons. Next was the late, great Dwayne Haskins, a player we can't call a bust because his untimely passing ended his career before he had a chance to prove or disprove the narrative.
Then there is Justin Fields, who is still active today and is now entering his sixth season but on his fourth team. While he hasn't been terrible, he has yet to prove he is anyone's long-term answer; instead, he is seen as a short-term solution to a team's quarterback needs.
Lastly, here is an interesting statistic to think about: Ohio State has only had one QB reach a Super Bowl, and that quarterback wasn't even a starter (Mike Tomczak).
The need for Stroud
That history lesson above is why C.J. Stroud's performance this year matters so much to how Ohio State and its quarterback development are perceived. Even with his career seeming to regress after his rookie campaign, he is still by far the best product the Buckeyes have produced at quarterback, which is saying a lot. This is why his being able to bounce back and be the talented quarterback he showed flashes of being will go a long way in disproving this negative narrative and perception.
Now, improvement is easier said than done, given the Texans' offensive surroundings can be viewed as a little shaky, but it isn't the hardest task in the world. Thanks to a Texans defense that just requires Stroud to play smart, turnover-free football and not throw four interceptions in a playoff game. This defense alone can lead Houston to a Super Bowl if Stroud doesn't lose them games.
Naturally, his bounce-back and playing to the level of his talent won't completely disprove the narrative; it can start to steer everyone toward a more optimistic view of how people see OSU quarterbacks in the league. That optimism will be needed to help Ohio State's future NFL prospects at the position fight against the historically tainted lens many will be viewing them through.
C.J. Stroud is playing not only for his career but for guys like Julian Sayin, Tavien St. Clair, and Luke Fahey to have some positive historical precedent to cling to.
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