How a former Ohio State quarterback has redefined the position for Buckeyes in the NFL

Ohio State has been known to produce NFL-caliber talent at positions like wide receiver and defensive end.

The same cannot be said about Buckeye quarterbacks.

Within the past 10 years, five Ohio State quarterbacks have been drafted into the NFL, four of which either never had their careers take off or have not had time to show their abilities.

One signal-caller, however, has broken the mold of lackluster Ohio State quarterbacks. Since his rookie season, he resurrected the team he was drafted by, bringing them to the playoffs in each season he has played.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has led his team to an 11-5 start, and in doing so, has clinched the franchise’s third-straight playoff berth. After being drafted by a 3-13 Houston team in 2023, Stroud has blossomed into one of the best young quarterbacks in the league as he looks to secure another division title and make a deep playoff run.

Being taken second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, the former Buckeye was praised for his sheer arm talent, having the ability to air out deep passes with pro-level accuracy. During his rookie season, the analysis on Stroud proved correct.

In his first season as a Texan, Stroud threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions on his way to winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Leading the Texans to a 10-7 season, Stroud made his playoff debut, blowing out the Cleveland Browns 45-14 in the Wild Card Round.

The Texans would go on to lose 34-10 in the Divisional Round to the Baltimore Ravens.

The California native experienced a sophomore slump during the 2024 season, throwing for 3,727 yards for 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, along with three fumbles, totaling eight more turnovers than his previous year.

Despite a down year for Stroud, the Texans finished 10-7 once again, securing back-to-back division championships. In the 2024 playoffs, Houston would defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round 23-14.

In those two matchups, Stroud went 41-of-61 for 527 yards, one passing touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 84 yards.

Entering his third season, Stroud had to prove that his rookie year wasn’t a fluke. With the Texans starting 0-3, that became a challenge.

After a disastrous start, Houston won three of their next five before eventually going on an eight-game winning streak and now currently challenging the 11-5 Jacksonville Jaguars for the AFC South title. Stroud suffered a concussion during Houston’s Week 9 loss to the Denver Broncos, with backup Davis Mills filling in for the injured Stroud for three games.

Mills kicked off the Texans' winning streak before passing the reins back to Stroud. During Houston's last five wins, Stroud has thrown for 1,170 yards for seven touchdowns to three interceptions.

The former Buckeye’s most recent victory comes after a 2024 playoff rematch between the Texans and Chargers, resulting in a final score of 20-16.

Houston sits a half-game behind Jacksonville for the division title with two weeks remaining. With how competitive the AFC playoff race has become, there is no saying where exactly the Texans will be seeded.

During his freshman year as a Buckeye, Stroud sat behind current New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields. In the two seasons Stroud started for Ohio State, he passed for 8,123 yards for 85 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions.

Stroud would go on to win back-to-back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards and become a Heisman finalist in both of his seasons as a starter.