Texans rookie QB C.J. Stroud gets high praise: ‘He’s a straight dawg’

C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans' rookie quarterback, is turning heads and making his presence felt on the practice field ahead of the 2023 NFL season. There's a new sheriff in town, and it appears he's running the huddle like a seasoned vet. 

"He handles himself well. He came in the building with these unbelievable leadership skills, and he's killing it, man," said offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, while making an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. But what's the one word Tunsil uses to describe this promising young star? 

"Dawg. He's a straight dawg. He comes in there ready to work, he handles the huddle perfectly and he goes out there and balls, man. You've got to appreciate that, especially in a young quarterback like C.J."

Stroud enters his rookie season with plenty of hype, and for good reason following a stellar collegiate career at Ohio State with numbers that jump off the page. He was exceptional in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, completing 69.3 percent of his passes over the two years for 8,123 yards, 85 passing touchdowns and just 12 interceptions across 25 games.

The Texans are hoping Stroud can replicate even a small amount of that success at the NFL level right out of the gate in 2023, and if he can, the turnaround in Houston should happen much sooner than later.