C.J. Stroud - NFL Mock Draft Roundup, 2.0

For too long, the Indianapolis Colts have failed to go after a young quarterback in the draft and instead opted for stop-gap veterans. C.J. Stroud has the makeup of an NFL franchise quarterback after two strong seasons in the Big Ten where his accuracy and passing game instincts shined.

Houston does not get its pick of quarterback at No. 2 overall, but C.J. Stroud could still prove to be an elite talent.

The Texans won't be able to get the quarterback they want because of their foolish decision to win in Week 18. They could trade up to No. 1, but that would make them look extra stupid.

Houston passed on all the quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft. No one blamed them for doing that, but they won't be able to repeat that strategy this upcoming April.

C.J. Stroud completed 71 percent of his passes this past season. He's a lethal passer, and as we saw in the college football semi-final, he can run if he needs to with his 4.65 speed.

This doesn't really seem like a move Seattle would normally make, but it needs to refresh the franchise and it has the No. 20 pick to go after one of the bigger needs. Stroud, Young, or Levis — there's no wrong answer here.

To get ahead of the Lions and Raiders, the Panthers make an assertive move with the Seahawks, who don't love how the board fell with Carter and Anderson off the board. Stroud is such a polished pocket passer.

The debate as to who QB1 will be might end up being something that gets decided just minutes before Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage. Stroud might be a slightly safer pick after a masterful performance in his final game and with better measurables than Young.

With Frank Reich now at the helm, the Panthers have to take their swing on the next face of the franchise. While Bryce Young is my unquestioned QB1, size means more to some teams, and Carolina seems to be one of them.

According to NFL Insider Benjamin Allbright, C.J. Stroud is "the apple of their eye," and if they want to draft the 6'3″ signal-caller, the Panthers will need to procure a package the Bears can't deny at No. 1 overall.

The price to jump Indianapolis and snag the next-best quarterback on the list (at least as I see it, that's C.J. Stroud) is going to be expensive. The Raiders have enough to make that work, though. They're probably overpaying here, but even after giving up these picks, the Raiders still would have a third-round pick, a fourth-round pick and five selections on Day 3. They'd also have a new franchise QB.

Chris Ballard has made no secret of the need to get the quarterback position right this year, in the way of failed experiments involving Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. Stroud's performance against Georgia in the College Football Playoff, and in particular his ability to play off-structure and outside the pocket, was the kind of game that scouts will remember throughout draft season.

Since Andrew Luck's retirement, the Colts have had little success turning to QBs nearing the end of their careers, and it's safe to assume that owner Jim Irsay will be looking for the team's next face of the franchise. C.J. Stroud has flown under the national-media radar all season, but some NFL teams will tell you he'll be in the running for QB1, and his performance in the College Football Playoff semifinal game vs. Georgia showed that he can beat you with his arm and his legs.

They need a lot, with quarterback, offensive line and defensive line at the top of a long list.

Houston resists the urge to move up one spot, preserves its draft capital and still get the top quarterback on their board. Stroud showed his full potential in the semifinals against Georgia. Of the top three quarterbacks in this class, Stroud may have the best combination of arm strength, touch and ball placement.

Indianapolis is one of five teams currently looking for the next head coach of their franchise as the search around the league ramps up. So far, Owner Jim Irsay and the front office have completed interviews with 14 candidates, including highly touted coaches like DeMeco Ryans and Raheem Morris. Along with them, the Colts also held a second interview with interim coach Jeff Saturday, officially leaving the "Courtesy of a Colts Legend" phase to the "Concerning" phase of this entire process as begins to feel more real Saturday could be the full-time replacement. Saturday started his NFL coaching career well with a surprising win over the floundering Raiders before finishing the season on a seven-game losing streak, including embarrassing losses to the Cowboys and Vikings. Still, Irsay remains fixated on the former ESPN analyst-turned-coach and reportedly is banging the drum to hire him full-time, much to the dismay of almost everyone else.

The Colts have also been linked to a trade with future-hall-of-fame Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has made his unhappiness in Green Bay known to all who will hear him. Rodgers, if signed, would signify the third-straight year Indianapolis would begin the season with a different veteran quarterback. The cost would likely be high and include the #4 overall pick, again much to the dismay of many after the failed experiments of Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. Should they choose to holdfast on another veteran QB, a more likely trade with the Chicago Bears, currently holding the first overall pick, could be made to leap over the Houston Texans and other QB-needy teams. From there, the Colts will have fresh pickings on the young quarterbacks available and start young and brimming with potential.

Decisions remain, and the coming weeks will likely sway the result one way or another. A young, energized head coach might walk in the building wanting to begin his career with a young QB who he can mold. Or a more experienced coach might desire a signal caller who knows the league and can hit the ground running. Until then, the dominoes remain upright. For now.

Houston just fired coach Lovie Smith, and the franchise's clear offseason priority has to be upgrading at the quarterback position. Davis Mills really struggled in his second season as the Texans' offense was among the league's worst in several statistical categories. With two top-12 picks in this draft, they have to get quality starters as they continue their rebuild.

I see Stroud as the best fit here as the Texans could get their pick of the top passers. He's extremely accurate, can make every throw and has excellent touch at every level of the field. I usually don't put much stock into a single game evaluation, but Stroud's performance in the narrow loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals showed me something. He was spectacular against an elite defense, carving up the Bulldogs with his arm and using his legs to maneuver the pocket and find receivers. Houston still has several needs, but it should start with Stroud. I have Stroud just barely behind Will Levis (Kentucky) and Bryce Young (Alabama) in my rankings, but Stroud gets the nod here because of how he would fit.

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