C.J. Stroud has quickly ascended to the top of the 2023 quarterback draft class, but he’s also entering elite territory, outplaying studs like Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts. The Texans rookie signed a four-year, $36.3 million deal with Houston in August (as per NFL.com), and now, he’s looking like he might be the franchise leader going forward. C.J. Stroud has elevated the Texans beyond what anyone expected, and many fans are now happy that Houston won their final game last season and fell to the second overall pick as a result.
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Houston is still rebuilding from the Deshaun Watson era, and they may have finally filled the void their former Pro Bowler left. The entire Deshaun Watson situation left Houston in a weird place for the last two years. Davis Mills was the primary starter as the team looked to move on from Watson. Last draft, they didn’t have the picks to take a quarterback early, but this year, they cashed in the second overall pick on the Ohio State product. For now, it definitely seems like they’ve made the right choice.
C.J. Stroud Has Superior Passing Numbers To Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts and More
The Texans rookie has started so well that he’s even playing better than both of last year’s starting Super Bowl quarterbacks. Of course, it’s still early on but the stats are promising.
C.J. Stroud has thrown for 1,212 yards, 6 touchdowns, and ZERO interceptions so far. His 1,212 yards rank fourth overall in the league. He has the most passing attempts without an interception of any quarterback this year at 151. 151 passes without an interception is also a record for most passes to start a career without an interception.
Stroud is making inroads with the Texans receivers, and they are surprising some teams this year. Houston pulled off an incredible upset against Jacksonville last week, and this week they pulled off another one against Pittsburgh. These stats from NFL Rookie Watch on X further showcase just how good Stroud has been relative to everyone else.
Stroud is above players like Mahomes and Hurts in significant stats, and he’s showcasing maturity that most young quarterbacks don’t have this early in their careers. Now, he just needs to keep playing consistently, and he’ll be more than fine going forward.
Stroud Helped Carry Houston to its First Home Win
The Texans have been so bad for a while that they haven’t won a home game since 2021. Against Pittsburgh, Stroud was ready to end the streak. He did just that by passing for 300+ yards as the Texans defense stomped out the Steelers offense to the tune of a 30-6 blowout.
“For me, it’s just the beginning,” Stroud said as per Sports Illustrated Texans Daily. “Y’all deserve to feel special,” he said of the fans. “Y’all deserve to root the Texans on. Not winning (at home) since 2021, that ain’t flying with anybody in this building.”
