Former Ohio State football player gets award for talking to the media

Former Ohio State football player C.J. Stroud was the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. There's a good argument that he should have been the first pick, but the Carolina Panthers decided they wanted Bryce Young instead. That has not aged well.

Stroud balled out in his first year as a player and started for the Houston Texans right from the jump. Because of his stellar play, he was named as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. He led Houston to the playoffs in his first year as a pro and they should only get better.

That award isn't the only one that he has won. He has now won the Pro Football Writers Association Good Guy award for his treatment of the media in his rookie season. Not only was he really good on the field, but he treated people right off the field. That's rare in a rookie.

Stroud was vocal about how disappointed he was with the finish of his Ohio State football career. The Buckeyes came up one point short of playing for a national championship in 2022. He also never beat Michigan, and that's something that is always going to stick in his craw.

As he moves forward in his NFL career, Stroud is going to keep treating people right. He always did the same thing to the Ohio State media when he was in Columbus. He has a great head on his shoulders and leads by example. Honestly, I'm still shocked the Panthers didn't take him number one overall.

We'll see if Stroud is able to navigate a suddenly strong AFC South this season as successfully as he did last year. The Texans made some noticeable upgrades on the offensive side of the ball, so he's hoping that can lead them to get back to the playoffs and advance this time.