Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud Reveals Why Poor Pre-Draft Cognition Test Score Didn't Faze Him

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud opens up about being heavily critiqued since high school.

Just a few days before the 2023 NFL Draft, quarterback prospects' S2 cognition test scores were revealed to the world. University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker finished with the second-worst score with a 46 percent, and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud was dead-last with 18.

The two-time Heisman Trophy finalist was expected to go within the first three picks, but the NFL media were uncertain if he was still fit for the top-tier draft status. The Houston Texans didn't think much of it and selected the 21-year-old with the second overall pick.

Stroud was doubted for much of the preseason as well, but recalled that he's been heavily critiqued since high school. He had multiple motivations to help him ignore the hate.

"I heard Deion Sanders say something like 'y'all ain't make me, so how are you going to break me?'" Stroud said on Thursday's edition of The Pat McAfee Show. "My dad gave me a really strong quote I always use now: 'comparison is the thief of joy.' If people weren't saying anything crazy about me than that would be a problem."

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) looks to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium / © Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

Athletes throughout history have built a reputation for proving doubters wrong. However, Stroud has taken a different approach.

"I don't try to prove anybody wrong, as I only want to prove myself and people who believe in me right," Stroud said. "If you try to prove everybody wrong, you'll be restless because everyone will have something to say."

The criticism from high school, Ohio State, the cognition test, the draft and the preseason has only made Houston's gunslinger stronger. He revealed another method of not letting the hate get to him, and his six touchdowns and zero interceptions thus far are making the media "write a different story now."

"I just knew that if I put in the work and trusted myself, I had nothing but success on the way," Stroud said.