2023 NFL QB Rankings: Fair Debut Spot For C.J. Stroud?

Was Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud appropriately ranked on this countdown?

Desperate to move beyond the Deshaun Watson fiasco, the Houston Texans selected quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. General manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans are hopeful that the former Ohio State star will develop into a franchise quarterback. 

While Houston hasn't yet named Stroud the Week 1 starter, it would be a surprise if he doesn't end up starting the bulk of the games for the Texans in his rookie season. With that in mind, he appeared on Pro Football Focus' countdown of the 32 starting quarterbacks for the 2023 season, coming in at No. 30: 

"There were a lot of Stroud fans throughout the pre-draft process, but I was always a little lower on him than most. He has NFL stature and elite accuracy, but outside of the Georgia game in the college football playoffs, he had some real issues under pressure or after the play had broken down. His PFF grade under pressure last season placed him in the 18th percentile, and that only improves to the 34th percentile if you look at a two-year sample size."

In his final collegiate season for the Buckeyes, Stroud tossed 41 touchdowns to six interceptions, while throwing for 3,688 yards. He'll be joining a significantly less talented offense -- relative to its competition -- at the NFL level. Still, the Texans signed former Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz this offseason, and are excited about what second-year running back Dameon Pierce can do after rushing for 939 yards in his rookie campaign. You can at least start to see an offensive core developing. 

Stroud was ultimately taken in the NFL Draft one pick behind Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, who came in at No. 25 on this list. Meanwhile, No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson was the 32nd and final player ranked. 

While the state of Texas is more likely to be fond of Colt McCoy than any of the other 49 in America, it would be fair to wonder if the veteran -- who came in at No. 29 -- should be ahead of Stroud. McCoy, 36, has a ton of experience, but there's a reason why he's been a backup for most of his career. He may get the chance to be the primary starter for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, but that's only because Kyler Murray is recovering from a torn right ACL he suffered in January. 

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