Former Ohio State Star CJ Stroud Makes Elite List for Texans

Former Ohio State Buckeyes and current Houston Texans star CJ Stroud has made an elite list for 2024.

Jan 6, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass to warm up before a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Former Ohio State Buckeyes star quarterback C.J. Stroud did not take long to make his name known in the NFL. After being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, Stroud put together one of the best rookie campaigns that the league has seen.

Not only is Stroud being viewed as a potential star, he has become an MVP favorite.

During his rookie season, Stroud ended up playing in 15 games. He completed 63.9 percent of his pass attempts for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Stroud also picked up 167 yards and scored three more touchdowns on the ground.

Looking ahead to the 2024 NFL season, Stroud is not only a top MVP favorite, he is being viewed as an elite player in many different categories.

Douglas Clawson of NFL.com has released his list of the top clutch quarterbacks in the NFL for the 2024 campaign. Stroud came in at No. 2 on his list behind only Patrick Mahomes.

"Nobody was better in the clutch than C.J. Stroud last year. The Texans converted on 6 of 8 game-tying or go-ahead drive chances late with Stroud under center. His numbers in those situations were phenomenal. 77% completion rate, 10.7 yards per attempt and a 139.5 passer rating. The best highlight was this game-winning touchdown pass from rookie-to-rookie to cap Stroud's 470-yard, five-touchdown game."

Very rarely does a quarterback heading into his second NFL season have the kind of hype that Stroud is receiving. He's an MVP candidate and right behind the best quarterback in the league on the clutch list.

Not only is Stroud receiving a ton of personal hype, his presence is making the Texans a team to watch. Many believe that Houston could be a potential Super Bowl sleeper.

With great hype and expectation comes great pressure. Thankfully, Stroud learned how to deal with pressure during his college career with Ohio State. He always rose to the occasion with the Buckeyes and that will happen with the Texans as well.

It will be interesting to see what the 2024 has in store for Stroud. All Ohio State fans will be in his corner and he's starting to become a league-wide fan favorite.

Expect to see Stroud live up to the hype. He isn't a one-year wonder and the expectations he is receiving are valid. Ohio State fans will enjoy seeing the team's former star come through with a massive second season that will end with him as an MVP finalist.