'As Good Of A Workout I've Seen': Ohio State's Ryan Day Gushes Over C.J. Stroud's Pro Day
Ryan Day has seen plenty of pro days throughout his NFL career. Plenty.
Two years ago, Justin Fields dazzled in front of hundreds of NFL executives and scouts during Ohio State's Pro Day en route to becoming the hopeful franchise quarterback of the Chicago Bears. Day watched Dwayne Haskins impress with precise passes back in 2019.
But C.J. Stroud, the next hopeful Buckeye to make the NFL? That might take the cake for Day.
“It's as good of a workout as I've seen, whether I was coaching in the NFL or now in last couple years here at Ohio State," Day said Wednesday following Stroud's workout at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. "It even goes back to when I was at Boston College, we had Matt Ryan and he had a great workout. But this is as good as I've seen."
Stroud, the potential No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, left little to the imagination in front of 30 NFL franchises that made the trip to Columbus. Some throws were short and right on the money. Others were more intermediate, proving that the two-time Heisman finalist could attack the middle of the field.
But Stroud's final throw might be the one that makes him the first Buckeye since Orlando Pace in 1997 to garner No. 1 mortality. As a coach faked pass rushed him, Stroud escaped the pocket a delivered a booming throw downfield into the hands of Jayden Ballard.
"That last one felt good," Stroud told reporters. "There were a couple of ones that I missed, but I thought I overall had a pretty good day. [The ball] came out of my hand really well."
Day knows what it takes to be successful in the pros. He spent time on both the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers' coaching staff before making the jump back to college.
Not everyone has the DNA to survive a 17-game season in the pros. Even fewer gunslingers have the mental capacity to handle the stress of fans and sports talk radio hosts explaining why their inability to connect with receivers is the sole reason for a team's troubles.
Day isn't worried about that for Stroud. After battling with Fields in 2020, then leading the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff appearance two years later, the fifth-year coach knows Stroud has the mental strength to handle the stress of being a franchise quarterback.
"He has the right make-up just in terms of who he is as a person, his leadership and his ability to handle himself in a professional manner,” Day said. “But then on the field, just his ability to throw the ball in the pocket. I think he projects really, really well into the NFL. The way that he can throw the ball on third down, his anticipation, his touch, his vision downfield."
Why can Stroud handle the trial that comes with being the face of the franchise? Day thinks it's because he was the face of Ohio State. After losing back-to-back games to Michigan, a small portion of the fan base has clamored for change in Columbus.
Stroud, who finished with a 21-4 record as the Buckeyes' starter, has already faced the criticism head-on before playing a snap in the pros.
“When you come to be the quarterback at Ohio State, it is almost like a test to go see how you can handle it in the NFL. And I shared that with some of the personnel and some of the folks that I met with here,” Day said.
Day spent two seasons at Boston College with Ryan, a former MVP that put together a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career. Some scouts have seen comparisons between the former Eagles' passer and Stroud.
Day said he's not looking for Stroud to become the second-coming Ryan, but rather the first instance of C.J.
Said Day: “He's his own player. It's hard, and I think sometimes it's not fair to really put them into, 'OK, he's like this guy.' Because there's a mindset, there's athleticism, there's the way the ball comes out of his hand, there's throwing motion, there are all those different things that come into it. So I think he did a great job and I think he checks all the boxes.”
Where Stroud will land remains a mystery. The Carolina Panthers sent a small army to Woody Hayes Wednesday to scout the potential top pick, including owner David Tepper and general manager Scott Fitterer. The same militia is currently down in Tuscaloosa watching Alabama's Bryce Young compete for the title of QB1.
Stroud said he doesn't care about his draft status since it's out of his control. As for Day, he knows that if he were running a franchise, the decision would be a moot point following Wednesday's throwing session.
“If you can handle being the quarterback at Ohio State, then you can handle being in the NFL," Day said. "And I think he's passed all of those tests and he'll continue to do that.”
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