2023 mock NFL Draft: 49ers watch NFC get significantly stronger
Buckeyes . C.J. Stroud. 4. player. 812. . Quarterback
2023 NFL Draft, Pick No. 4: Indianapolis Colts – C.J. Stroud, Quarterback, Ohio State
The Indianapolis Colts are in such an intriguing situation this season as the top two quarterbacks will almost definitely be going to the Texans and whoever trades to the Bears. The Colts likely have to trade up to get one of the top quarterbacks and have the advantage of guaranteeing the Bears one of Will Anderson or Jalen Carter.
Here, though, the Colts don’t have to worry about that. They grab C.J. Stroud and can finally stop playing musical chairs with the quarterback position.
Stroud threw for 3,688 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions for the season with Ohio State as the team made it to the college playoff. Stroud is also an excellent scrambler and showed he could make plenty of plays with his legs, too.
What Stroud brings best to the table is he seems a prototypical quarterback for today’s NFL. True pocket passers are rare today, and teams want quarterbacks with a bit of mobility. Stroud brings it all to the table with his accuracy, arm strength, football IQ, speed and his field vision.
Stroud doesn’t have the ability to make things up on the fly to the extent that Bryce Young does, nor is he a natural scrambler, but he’s arguably the better quarterback of the bunch.
He has a chance to go No. 1 overall if the right team moves up to the pick and prefers him over Young.