Anonymous College Coach: C.J. Stroud Was ‘Better Than Trevor Lawrence’

Silly season is officially here for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Every NFL Draft, there are anonymous quotes that help illustrate why the draft process is always known as silly season. 

Normally, the hyperbolic statements start and end with the quarterback class. This year is no different, with each of Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis drawing extreme criticism and praise alike.

It is no different in The Athletic's Bruce Feldman's annual mock draft, where he gets the skinny from anonymous college coaches on the draft's top prospects.

Among the most eye-brow-raising comments revolves around Stroud, the Ohio State standout and seemingly the likely No. 1 pick come April 27.

“His accuracy downfield is really special. He’s bigger than you think and faster and harder to sack than people realize. I thought he’s better than Trevor Lawrence," one coach who played Stroud told Feldman. 

Lawrence, who the Jaguars selected No. 1 overall out of Clemson in 2021, was widely proclaimed to be a generational quarterback prospect and the best college prospect at the position since Andrew Luck. There have been arguments made for others in that time, but most regard Lawrence as the top quarterback prospect over the last 10 or so years. 

That is what makes it so surprising to see one coach, who seemingly coached against both passers, rank Stroud as the better. The only common opponent Lawrence and Stroud played is Notre Dame, but that doesn't mean it can't be a coach who was at two different programs since Lawrence and Stroud's careers as starters didn't overlap. 

Stroud did put up video game numbers in Ohio State's system, throwing 85 touchdowns in two seasons while Lawrence threw 90 in three. But for a quarterback who, to some, is still perhaps not a better option than Young, it is tough to say there is much of an argument to make for Stroud over Lawrence, whether as college players or as prospects. 

For what it is worth, this same article was complimentary of Lawrence in a big way in 2021. 

“The surprise with him is his running ability and his toughness. I just don’t think people realize just how athletic he is. He is very good as a thrower. I don’t think his arm is out of this world. It’s not a Josh Allen or (Patrick) Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers, but it’s very, very good.”

“He’s about as good a quarterback prospect I’ve seen in college in years. He’s tall, mobile, smart, accurate. I love how the ball comes out of his hand. Teammates seem to really like him, and he’s played a lot of games and in a lot of big games.”

“I worried a little about him living up to all the hype that was heaped on him so early. He was great against Alabama as a freshman. He wasn’t impressive against LSU the next year. He was just a little off that night, especially after (Joe) Burrow and LSU’s offense got cranked up. You expected him to match that and he didn’t. But his receivers weren’t on the level of what Burrow had there. You still really like what you see from him on film and also how he carries himself. The spotlight has been on him for a long time for a college kid, and I think that is a good sign because he’s gonna have to carry that franchise.”