Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud declares 2023 NFL Draft

The Ohio State quarterback officially announced he would be turning pro on Monday after taking time to consider his options ahead of Monday’s deadline to enter the 2023 NFL Draft, citing Ohio State. He ended a three-year career with the Buckeye, including two years as the college’s starting QB. .

Proverbs 3:5,6 pic.twitter.com/FdA2ftqQFJ

— CJ Stroud (@CJ7STROUD) January 16, 2023

In a farewell post on social media, Stroud said his decision to leave Ohio was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

“When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing football at the highest level. After much prayer, I decided it was time to make that dream a reality,” Stroud wrote. “No goodbye… Buckeye for life!”

His late announcement has led to speculation that Stroud will stay in Ohio State for his senior season, but his decision to enter this year’s draft has been anticipated for the past year.

Stroud is the third Ohio State quarterback to be selected with the top 15 picks in the NFL Draft in five years, joining Dwayne Haskins (15th overall pick in 2019) and Justin Fields (11th overall pick in 2021). is predicted to be Art Schlichter (his 4th overall in 1982) is the only QB in Ohio to be drafted in the top 10, so he was the first to be named a top 10 pick in over 40 years. Buckeye is widely predicted to be his quarterback.

Stroud could be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but faces competition from top-draft quarterbacks Alabama’s Bryce Young. Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richards. Song is one of the other quarterbacks predicted to be a potential early first-round pick.

He left Ohio State University with one of the most acceptances in the school’s history. He is Ohio State’s career leader in passer rating (182.4), passing yards per game (324.9), and 300 passing games (15), as well as career completion percentage (69.3), passing yards (8,123), Ranks second in school history in passing touchdowns. (85). He earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors in both of his two seasons as a starting quarterback for Ohio State University, and is the only Ohio State University player to have been named a Heisman Trophy finalist twice. Quarterback.

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With Stroud’s departure, junior Kyle McCord and redshirt freshman Devin Brown are now in contention for the starting quarterback job at Ohio State in 2023.