Panthers Trade For No. 1 Pick, Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud To Carolina?
C.J. Stroud showed poise, accuracy and consistency during his two seasons as the starting quarterback for Ohio State. He only upped his value during what scouts called "one of the best throwing sessions" last week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Could that have been enough for the Carolina Panthers to sell the farm and make him the face of their franchise?
The Panthers made headlines Friday evening when they traded a 2023 first-round pick (No. 9), a 2023 second-round pick (No. 61), a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, and receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 pick. The expectation is that Carolina will be targeting one of the four quarterbacks for new head coach Frank Reich to mold into his own.
Despite Alabama's Bryce Young being considered the most pro-ready, Stroud is expected to be in heavy consideration to land in the Queen City. The reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year met with Panthers for a formal interview during his week in Indianapolis and displayed all the tools scouts salivate over when looking for franchise quarterbacks.
"You can put on my film, I think I've been the best player in college football two years in a row," Stroud said during his media session at the Indianapolis Convention Center last week. "And I think I've consistently done that, and I think, honestly, that I haven't even touched my potential yet. I think that I have a lot more to get better at.
"But I have a lot more to prove, not only to y'all but to myself. And that's something that I plan to do, because I honestly don't think that I've even got close to anything in college yet. So I'm excited to see what I'll do in the NFL."
Both Stroud and Young have proven during their times as starters that they're more than capable of leading a franchise. Ultimately, the decision could come down to personal preference among the coaching staff — primarily Reich.
Since his day as the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator, Reich has leaned on taller quarterbacks. The shortest passer who took reps in his system was Andrew Luck back in 2018, who measured in at 6-4.
The common theme surrounding Young throughout the combine was his measurements. Young, who was listed at 6-foot on the Alabama team website, measured in at 5-10 and weighed 204 pounds. Stroud, meanwhile, measured in at 6-3 and weighed 215 pounds.
While evaluators have questioned Stroud's lack of mobility, that might not be much of a concern for Reich's offensive personnel. During his time with the Colts, no quarterback rushed for more than 228 yards in a season. Last year at Ohio State, Stroud totaled 108 rushing yards. In two years, he rushed for 134, though he did display excellent pocket awareness in the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia last December.
"I think I'm a playmaker; I think I'm very creative," Stroud said. "And I think I'm smart when it comes to protections and things like that because I solve a lot of issues before they're even there. And that's something I pride myself on."
Stroud isn't the only Buckeyes prospect affected by Friday's trade. Chicago, which now picks ninth, could be targeting an offensive tackle to fortify its offensive line in front of former Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields.
Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. could be Chicago's primary target after the offensive line allowed a whopping 58 sacks, fourth-most in the NFL. Johnson, who started one season on the blindside, allowed just two sacks and 12 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He also is expected to visit the Bears as a pre-draft visit from now until the week before the draft.
Johnson told reporters last week in Indianapolis that he would love the reconnect with Fields in the Windy City as the hopeful long-term left tackle.
“When I first came to Ohio State, he took me in and like, it's always cool when you're young lineman and the starting quarterback, he's just a humble guy," Johnson said of his relationship with Fields. "I used to beat him in Madden all the time. He knows, you can tell him. But that's my guy. He’s an amazing quarterback. He's smart. He's accurate. And it would be an honor to be back with him again.”
While Moore is expected to become the new primary target for Fields, wide receiver remains a position of need for the NFC North franchise. After silencing the critics of his health with a route-running clinic during drills, could Jaxon Smith-Njigba be the selection?
Smith-Njigba was limited to three games in 2022 due to a lingering hamstring injury, but scouts are high on his upside as a No. 1 receiver due to his route-running ability. In 2021, Smith-Njigba led the Buckeyes in receptions (95), receiving yards (1,606), and yards per catch (16.9).
Like Johnson, Smith-Njigba said he'd welcome a reunion with Fields in the pros, though Moore's addition could make the move less likely to occur depending on free agency.
“Since he's been in Chicago, we've always talked about it,” Smith-Njigba said last week of his relationship with Fields. “Him being like a big brother to me, I definitely appreciate it, coming from a guy like that.
"I feel like we definitely had a little connection back in the day, but hopefully we can maybe do it again.”
Should the Panthers select Stroud with the top pick, he would become the first Ohio State quarterback selected No. 1 in the program's history. Stroud would also become the first Buckeye selected with the top pick since Orlando Pace in 1997.
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