C.J. Stroud took the NFL by storm last season. The quarterback, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, carried the Houston Texans to a surprising 10-7 record, giving them first place in the AFC South and setting the scene for a 45-14 trouncing of the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
It was a dramatic turnaround from the 2022 season when the Texans went 3-13-1 and were in complete disarray. Stroud did it with electrifying play, as well as some clutch heroics in a couple of games.
Thus, expectations for him and his team are sky-high for this upcoming season.
Houston wide receiver Tank Dell said some glowing things about the incoming sophomore on the “I am Athlete” podcast and even compared him to the best in the business — Patrick Mahomes.
“He just brings a special type of swag,” Dell said. “I for sure feel like C.J. got the opportunity to be the best quarterback in the league. Not me just saying that because of who he is to me but just like what I’m seeing him do each and every week. What the world sees, they’re seeing exactly what we’re seeing. How he just coming out there as a 21-year-old man going against grown men, and he’s out here just balling every week. How consistent he is. I feel like C.J. gotta keep doing what he’s doing to bridge the gap between him and Mahomes.”
C.J. Stroud still has a lot to accomplish
Of course, Stroud has a long way to go before matching the accomplishments or stature of Mahomes, who owns three Super Bowl championship rings and two league MVP awards. But the Ohio State University product has gotten off to the type of start few signal-callers ever have.
He ranked eighth in passing yards last season with 4,108 while throwing 23 touchdown passes against just five interceptions. While his pass completion percentage of 63.9 percent was somewhat subpar, one would expect that to improve with more experience and maturity.
Not to take anything away from him, but one key to his quick rise has been the weapons he has had around him. Dell had 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games last year before a fractured fibula ended his rookie campaign, while fellow wideout Nico Collins put up 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns.
This coming season, the Texans’ receiving corps will be joined by Stefon Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler and arguably one of the five best wide receivers in football. Joe Mixon, a one-time Pro Bowl running back who has gone over 1,000 rushing yards four times in his seven NFL seasons, has also come on board, as has pass rusher Danielle Hunter, a four-time Pro Bowler.
The Texans are already well ahead of schedule, and perhaps C.J. Stroud’s excellence will continue accelerating that timeline this fall and winter.
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