Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud is an NFL Draft 'Player Worth Trading Up For'

Rumors of Stroud falling in the draft have teams at No. 2 and below desperate for a chance at picking the Buckeyes signal-caller.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud is a player 'worth trading up for,' according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Stroud was at the top of PFF's list of five NFL Draft prospects teams should consider jumping in the order to take off the board.

The Buckeyes' signal-caller has fallen in recent mock drafts following news he had skipped out on attending a quarterback camp hosted by NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning.

"Stroud's upside is too good to ignore, so a potential slip down the order could cause an early trade," said Sam Monson, author of the list. 

Originally a favorite to open the draft at No. 1 overall, the latest projections have Stroud at risk of falling out of the top five picks. Fellow quarterback Bryce Young has leap-frogged Stroud to now sit atop the mock boards and those of the Carolina Panthers (the team holding the first pick).

Young has typically gone second overall in previous mock drafts to the Houston Texans, another team looking for a new quarterback. Should Young's name be the first one called in the opening day of the draft on Thursday, going to the Texans would be Stroud's next best option.

One team who previously was in contention for Stroud, and might be looking to trade and climb higher up the board to return to that position, is the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts spent last season splitting time at quarterback between Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew was added to the roster last month as a free agent.

Playing three different QBs in a single year seems to have prevented the Colts from developing the necessary chemistry to succeed (primarily on offense) as the team finished the season with a 4-12-1 record.

Trading up in the draft for Stroud (or another quarterback if Stroud goes No. 1) could give the Colts a solid, reliable option at the position with which to enter the 2023-24 season.

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