C.J. Stroud enjoyed one of the best seasons ever for a rookie quarterback. Now, the pressure is on to surpass the lofty expectations.
On a recent segment of I Am Athlete, teammate Tank Dell said that Stroud’s makeup could allow him to reach those projections and put him in a class with Patrick Mahomes, The Houston Texans receiver mentioned Stroud sending teammates videos of upcoming opponents at 11 p.m. as an example of the quarterback’s mindset as a rookie.
“He just brings a special type of swag,” Dell said. “You can see it in him. 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 is just coming out there as a 21-year-old man going against grown men, and he’s out here just balling every week. It’s like how consistent he is. I feel like C.J. gotta keep doing what he’s doing to bridge the gap between him and Mahomes. Not going to lie, Mahomes is special...it’s for sure going to be a lot of work, but I feel like if he just keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s on the right path.”
As a rookie, Stroud showed he could shine in the crucible of the moment, helping spearhead the Texans to multiple one-score victories. To get to a Mahomian level, Stroud will need to do it again and again and again. As defenses get more tape on Stroud’s tendencies, life will become harder for the QB. The key will be continually evolving to stay ahead.