Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is in the middle of perhaps the biggest debate ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.Stroud, at one time considered a likely candidate to be taken No. 1 overall, is now the subject of several reports from numerous sources that suggest some NFL teams aren't completely sold on the Buckeyes signal-caller.This, after completing 69.3 percent of his pa ses for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns to 12 interceptions over the last two seasons and putting together a spectacular showing at the NFL Combine. Most, if not all, of the rumors surrounding Stroud relate to the team that was previously considered the favorite to draft him: the Texans, at No. 2 overall.MORE: That said, Houston's need for a quarterback can't be understated, and the general consensus surrounding Stroud in the lead-up to the draft is he's the best pure pa ser of the 2023 cla s. Why the sudden change in opinion?It's smokescreen season a time just before the draft in which teams try to confuse their Rashaan Evans Jersey draft-day competition by leaking false reports, either to stop a team from drafting someone or to manufacture a bidding war for a certain pick of the draft. And no player is generating more discu sions than Stroud.The Sporting News is tracking the latest rumors regarding the Ohio State QB leading up to the draft, and determining whether they're based in truth and to what degree.QB coaches weigh in on Stroud draft slideDate: Monday, April 24Reported by: The Athletic's Bruce FeldmanSmoke screen index: 1/10With rumors piling up that Stroud is in the midst of a slide down draft boards, (subscription required) asked several NFL quarterback coaches what they thought of the Ohio State signal-caller.One coach, whose team Feldman noted wasn't in position to draft a quarterback, said Stroud's reported as a big red flag enough to switch him and Young atop his positional rankings."To me, that's what flipped me (to put Young ahead of Stroud). When I saw that S2, it was brutal," he said. "Thats scary. Now listen, if we were in that position, Id get him to re-take that test. Sometimes that happens. Guy gets a false read on a test, but I do believe in S2 and well, if I believe in it and youve got plenty of evidence from looking at the scores and the players that youve coached, you cant discount it or deny it."Another QB coach was confused by the score, which he said didn't match up with what he saw of Stroud on film."I know when I watch him that (low S2 score) doesnt make sense. I was shocked when I heard he bombed it. Did he not try? He didnt throw many picks. He didnt have a lot of really bad split-second decisions. I just didnt see it. Hes great going through his progre sions."A third coach said he didn't care about the hits Stroud has taken in his draft stock, saying he gave a great interview and showed little on film to be worried about. He did, however, have one reservation: Stroud will not have near the wide receiver talent in the NFL as he did in Columbus."Thats gonna be the best he ever has for the rest of his life, the coach said. "Garrett Wilson, (Chris) Olave, (Marvin) Harrison, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Youre lucky to have one guy like that. Best case two. He had four or five like that."This could be the best version of (Stroud) as well. I think if Aidan OConnell from Purdue was at Ohio State, I think he wouldve thrown for 40 touchdowns, to be honest."'No lock' Stroud goes in top seven of 2023 draftDate: Monday, April 24Reported by: ProFootballTalk's Peter KingSmoke screen index: 3/10Peter King's dropped on Monday, complete with his own just days ahead of the real thing. Prior to revealing his picks for the draft based on his own personal opinions he made note that "its no lock (Stroud) goes in the top seven, which seems (and is) insane."So while King thinks it's po sible Stroud falls out of contention for a top-five pick, he himself doesn't think it will happen. Indeed, he has the Ohio State signal-caller going third overall to the Titans, whom he has trading up in a deal with the Cardinals to grab their quarterback of the future. It's a move that, while expensive, makes sense on the surface: Ryan Tannehill is in the last year of his contract in Tenne see, which is also reportedly disenchanted Kamalei Correa Jersey with second-year QB Malik Willis.Stroud falls to fourth-best odds to go No. 2 overallDate: Sunday, April 23Reported by: Smoke screen index: 3/10When the bookies get involved, . The latest odds have Stroud with the fourth-best odds to go second overall. He now trails Kentucky's Will Levis (-145), Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson (+300) and Alabama's Anderson (+450) to go second in the draft.Oddsmakers are a fairly accurate barometer for how teams will act: If Stroud has fallen out of favor in Las Vegas, then it means they may have some inside information as to how the 2023 NFL Draft will play out (whether they are being given accurate information is another question altogether). There's still time for the odds to shift ahead of Thursday's draft but, as of now, it seems as if the Texans will either draft a defensive player or attempt a trade back.Stroud scored low on S2 Cognition testDate: Friday, April 21Reported by: GoLongTD.com's Bob McGinnSmoke screen index: 6/10According to a report from , Stroud scored in the 18th percentile on the S2 Cognition test, which purports to measure players' informational proce sing and reaction speed areas of key importance for quarterbacks.Stroud scored 18, McGinn quoted an executive. That is like red alert, red alert, you cant take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback thats ever done it in the league.McGinn also reported a 96 percent score for Fresno State's Jake Haener, 93 percent for Kentuckys Will Levis and BYU's Jaren Hall, 84 percent for Houstons Clayton Tune, 79 percent for Floridas Anthony Richardson and 46 percent for Tenne sees Hendon HookerA low score would certainly explain why Stroud is rumored to be falling down teams' draft boards: S2 co-founder Brandon Ally told the average score for quarterbacks is in the 68th percentile. However, Ally also said S2 does not reveal scores, which are privileged information.Ally also Austin Johnson Jersey to take leaked scores with a grain of salt. He added that QBs at the top of the draft this year "have scored really, really well.""We have seen, 'Hey, so and so scored the highest in the cla s, or the highest ever, and so and so scored low.' And it's like, 'Yeah, that's not true,'" Ally told Pro Football Focus. "But with that being said, I will say that this cla s as a whole, all the guys in the discu sion, have scored really, really well."Stroud 'ghosted' Manning Pa sing AcademyDate: Wednesday, April 19Reported by: Fox Sports' Brady QuinnSmoke screen index: 10/10Fox Sports college football analyst and former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn appearing on CBS Sports' "Pick Six Podcast" on Wednesday was asked why Stroud may be falling down draft boards. He provided one example he said he heard from NFL teams:"The Manning Pa sing Academy, I've been told that he committed to it the night before, just kind of ghosted them, didn't show up," Quinn said (). "That's football royalty. And when you do that, that's going to set off some alarms for people like, 'Hey man, that's not how you conduct yourself, especially around the Manning family or just in general if you're going to be a franchise quarterback.'"While Stroud was in the camp, it's uncertain whether he actually committed to the camp or otherwise explained why he couldn't participate beforehand. Regardle s, ESPN's Ryan Clark on Thursday took offense to what he called .This is an example of analyst like telling stories of 0 value to diminish a mans character while validating his own. Instead of di secting film, or speaking to coaches an adult man stooped to go sip while analyzing. Its an immature evaluation of football integrity Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) Quinn later said his comments were unfairly taken out of context, adding he was asked why Stroud could be dropping down draft boards and that he simply provided a few examples of what I was told.As it stands, the unverified circumstances of Stroud and the Manning Pa sing Academy factually relayed or otherwise are ultimately trivial in his draft stock. No GM or coach is going to pa s up on a player solely on that fact.Bryce Young not Stroud will be Panthers' choice with first overall pickDate: Monday, April 17Reported by: NFL Network's Tom Peli seroSmoke screen index: 2/10Stroud was the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall to the Panthers as recently as April 10. Since then, Alabama signal-caller Bryce Young his top competition to go first overall has skyrocketed up the odds boards as the .Though Panthers GM Scott Fitterer has denied the team informed Young it would draft him first overall, the Crimson Tide prospect has canceled his remaining visits with NFL franchises after visiting with the Panthers and Texans.Alabama QB Bryce Young has canceled his remaining pre-draft visits, per sources another sign to back up belief within the league that the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner will be the pick at No. 1 overall.Young also visited the , who draft No. 2. Tom Peli sero (@TomPeli sero) It wouldn't make sense for Young to do so unle s one or both of Houston and Carolina said they will take him if he's available Ryan Succop Jersey . That means Stroud may end up going second to the Texans after all. Except. ...MORE: Texans 'open to listening' for No. 2 pick trade offersDate: Monday, April 17Reported by: Texans GM Nick CaserioSmoke screen index: 6/10It remains to be seen what Houston thinks of Stroud. For now, Texans general manager Nick Caserio says the team is happy to field calls from teams as they make inquiries about moving up in the draft:Weve received some calls, actually, on the No. 2 pick, Caserio told reporters on Monday. I think our job and responsibility is to listen and not rule anything out. I think whatever the end result is come (April 27), you know, well be prepared to go either way.If you want to quote me, are we open for busine s, I would say were open to listening, so if you want to change the vocabulary a little bit this year.A trade out of the No. 2 spot suggests Houston doesn't consider the Buckeyes QB worthy of a top-two pick, or at least that the capital secured in a trade would be more valuable than simply drafting him. That said, they still need a cornerstone at the position, and the consensus is no other prospect rises to his or Young's level this year.What's more likely is Caserio would take Stroud at No. 2, but is still attempting to manufacture a bidding war to secure a king's ransom of draft capital. That could then be used to take a QB at No. 12 overall, or in the second or third rounds, while other needs are met with the early round picks.Texans struggling to trade out of No. 2 pick because 'teams don't covet Stroud'Date: Monday, April 17Reported by: NFL.com's Lance ZierleinSmoke screen index: 5/10Lance Zierlein, an NFL.com draft analyst based out of Houston, reported on Monday the Texans are , but having trouble finding a trade partner. Zierlein said as much when he claimed "teams don't covet Stroud like the public thinks."It's hard to believe team with a need at QB thinks Stroud is worth the No. 2 overall pick, though that hinges on what Houston's asking price is (for what it's worth, Stroud and former Texans QB Deshaun Watson share an agent in David Mulugheta). Even if they aren't as high on Stroud as Zierlein suggests, Anthony Richardson whose physical attributes compare favorably to former NFL MVP Cam Newton could be taken there instead.MORE: Texans' DeMeco Ryans 'leaning heavily' to Will Anderson Jr. at No. 2Date: Thursday, April 13Reported by: TexansDaily's Coty DavisSmoke screen index: 7/10, citing a source close to the team, reported first-year coach DeMeco Ryans a defensive-minded coach prefers Alabama EDGE rusher Will Anderson Jr. over Stroud at No. 2. Though Davis displayed some skepticism in his report, he acknowledged what he believes is a kernel of truth to it:"But we do believe that in addition to Stroud, the Texans may have some doubts about quarterbacks Will Levis or Anthony Richardson as high picks. And we do believe they do like Bryce Young."And, we're told, the head coach does like Will Anderson. A lot."Even if Ryans likes Anderson, it doesn't make sense to draft him second overall. He may be the Adoree' Jackson Jersey top defensive player available, but he is not considered the generational prospect of previous defenders, such as Von Miller. To that end, it would be better for the Texans to trade back with a team that now thinks it can get Stroud and instead take one of Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson, Clemson's Myles Murphy or any number of players at other positions.
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