Welcome to the fifth daily installment of the NFL Draft 1-through-32 series on DK Pittsburgh Sports, intended to introduce you, a prospect at a time, to the top 32 players in the class on a consensus basis, leading right up to the main event.
That, of course, will be April 27-29, in Kansas City, Mo., though all 32 teams, including the Steelers on the South Side, will operate from their local headquarters.
NO. 5: C.J. STROUD
Ohio State quarterback
Stroud is the fifth-ranked player on Pro Football Focus' Big Board. He is a hyper-accurate quarterback and has what is likely the safest "floor" among quarterbacks in this draft because of it, after turning in a historic career at Ohio State.
COLLEGE BACKGROUND
Stroud is a two-time finalist for the Heisman Trophy and has impressive skills for someone who is only classified as a redshirt sophomore in college. He twice won the Big Ten offensive player of the year and quarterback of the year awards, while being named a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award, and the Dave O’Brien Award in 2022.
Stroud is one of the most accomplished players -- not just quarterbacks -- in Ohio State history. He owns 16 Ohio State passing and total offense records and three Big Ten records to his name.
Against Big Ten opponents in 2021, Stroud threw for 3,193 yards and 34 touchdowns, each of which are records against conference opponents in a single season. His 182.39 career passing efficiency against Big Ten competition is also the best in conference history. He is the first quarterback in Big Ten history to achieve back-to-back 30-plus touchdown passing seasons against in-conference competition.
In his two full seasons as Ohio State's quarterback, Stroud completed 69.3% of his passes for 8,123 yards, 85 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions for a 182.4 rating.
For those keeping track, though, he is 0-2 in his career as a starter against archrival Michigan.
The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native was a consensus four-star recruit out of high school who chose Ohio State among 19 offers in the class of 2020. He had drawn praise for his accuracy and poise out of high school, and at one point drew a comparison to Teddy Bridgewater. He measured at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds out of high school and bulked up through three seasons of college to ...
NFL COMBINE, PRO DAY
... a 6-foot-3, 214 pounds with measurements of a 32 5/8-inch arm length and a 10-inch hand width at the NFL Combine.
Stroud drew a prospect grade of 6.70, a "Year 1 starter," and an NFL Next Gen Stats grade of 85. His prospect grade was seventh overall, and his Next Gen Stats grade was third among Combine quarterbacks. Stroud earned a production score of 97, second among Combine QBs.
Stroud dazzled at his Pro Day, leaving reports saying he threw some "picturesque" passes in the showcase. The one knock in his performance was throwing on the run and to his left, but anything from the left of the numbers onward making him look like an NFL-ready quarterback.
MOCK DRAFT
The USA Today mock draft consensus tracker has Stroud going at No. 1 overall to Carolina, with an average draft slotting at 1.5. Our latest mock draft has Stroud going to Houston at No. 2 overall.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE STEELERS' STANDPOINT
Not that he would be there for the Steelers to take anyway, but going with a quarterback in the first round again isn't happening. The Steelers are probably more interested in Stroud's left tackle, Paris Johnson, or his top target, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, at pick No. 17, anyway.
COREY'S TAKE
I'm fascinated by Stroud, and not just because I'm an Ohio native (in a technical sense) and grew up an Ohio State fan before paying for my allegiances elsewhere. Who is the greatest quarterback to come from Ohio State that's played and succeeded highly in the NFL? Is it Justin Fields? The list, if it exists, is thin at best.
I want Stroud to be something in the NFL, because he is a treat to watch play when he gets going. He is one of those players in which if he is on, he is unstoppable. This should be fun to follow.
