'Everything Happens for a Reason!' Former Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud Not Deterred by Pre-Draft Rumors

The Houston Texans were not deterred by rumors of bad test scores, and made C.J. Stroud the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

It happened in 2018 when Lamar Jackson fell all the way to No. 32 to the Baltimore Ravens. It happens almost every year in the hours leading up to the NFL Draft. What is it?

A rumor or some other misinformation that makes a player slide in the draft. It almost happened to former Buckeyes signal-caller C.J. Stroud Thursday night.

Someone tried to convince Houston not to take Stroud at No. 2 overall. It could've been anyone that sparked the debate, another team, another player's agent - anyone.

But Houston was not deterred by rumors of bad test scores, and Stroud addressed the situation with Peter King of Football Morning in America.

“A lot of people haven’t played the sport, and I mean critics are gonna critique,” Stroud told King. “For me I know the film speaks for itself. Everything that I’ve done in college, I’ve been very consistent. I think I’ve been one of the most consistent players in college football for the last two years. If you turn on the tape, you can see, you can answer the questions. 

"But those who don’t understand tape might want to go to other things and analyze other things. They’re more than welcome to do such. But the people who are making the choices and the picks, they knew what I can do. They understood the IQ that I do have.”

But Stroud has the right attitude, and he ultimately won.

“Everything happens for a reason,” Stroud said. “I’m not upset. I’m actually blessed, I’m super blessed to be a Texan. Number two overall pick in the NFL draft, man. A little kid from the [California] Inland Empire. All smiles, man. I ain’t tripping about this.”

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