Is Former Ohio State Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud Front Runner For NFL Rookie of the Year?

Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. STroud might be the NFL's rookie of the year.

Matt Galatzan | Nov 13, 2023

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Ohio State Buckeyes

Former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud is taking the NFL by storm with the Houston Texans, leading yet another last-minute scoring drive to send his team above .500 for the first time since 2019.

Stroud finished the day with 356 yards passing alongside a score, and he also rushed for a touchdown as his team went on the road and took down Joe Burrow and the Bengals. It's not easy to win on the road in the NFL but to do so against a quarterback who has reached the Super Bowl is another feat entirely.

But after Sunday, Stroud seems to be the clear front-runner for Rookie of the Year.

Stroud has been in that conversation for quite a while now, but it may be time for analysts and fans alike to start taking notice of what's happening in Houston.

The Texans have a young core of talent (including Stroud and wideout Tank Dell), and a team that seemed left for dead a year ago at 3-13-1 already has five wins this season.

C.J. Stroud vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers / USA Today Sports

If the campaign ended today, the Texans would find themselves squarely in the AFC playoff conversation. That in itself is remarkable, and it's largely thanks to the rookie they've thrust into the quarterback position.

Against fellow AFC teams, Stroud now has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 7-to-1, and considering those are the teams that he will be competing for playoff spots against, that's a good sign.

Sunday's win also marked Stroud's fourth game of the season in which he surpassed 300 yards and his second straight.

It's time to come out and say it: right now, C.J. Stroud is the Rookie of the Year in the National Football League, and his team is officially dangerous.

If you take the Texans lightly week-to-week, they will get you, and Sunday is evidence on both of these accounts.

Published Nov 13, 2023

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com, AllAggies.com, and the Managing Editor of BuckeyesNow.com and TheGroveReport.com He is also the Editor-In-Chief of RamDigest.com and TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com