It was not all that long ago that CJ Stroud was viewed as the favorite to be the first player off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, but that seems to have suddenly changed in recent days.
The Carolina Panthers are widely expected to take Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. The Houston Texans, who also need a quarterback, have the second pick. Peter King is among a growing list of NFL insiders who do not believe the Texans want Stroud.
King wrote in his weekly column for NBC Sports that conversations with team executives have led him to the conclusion that Stroud is “no lock” to be taken in the first seven picks. Though, King pointed out that it is impossible to trace the source and motivation behind certain leaks in the days before the draft. He also predicted in his mock draft that the Tennessee Titans will make a trade with the Arizona Cardinals to move up to No. 3 for Stroud.
In any event, the talk of Stroud slipping down the board seems to be real. Recent reports have claimed Stroud has not impressed teams in interviews, scored poorly on his S2 cognition test, and may have ghosted an important passing academy event.
Part of the reason for Stroud’s anticipated free fall could be that the Texans are leaning toward passing on all quarterbacks in the first round. ESPN’s Todd McShay wrote on Monday that the “most likely outcome” is Houston will draft an edge rusher at No. 2.
The only thing that seems certain heading into Thursday is that Young will end up in Carolina. The Indianapolis Colts, who have the fourth overall pick, are also said to be locked in on one quarterback, but that could change if Stroud drops.
More must-reads: