Ohio State Fans Found C.J. Stroud's Venmo Account to Message Him to 'Play Better'

No one can ever the question the commitment or intensity of Ohio State fans. And perhaps no other player has felt more scrutiny and pressure from the fanbase than quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Stroud, one of the most prolific signal-callers in program history, did not use social media during the season, but that didn't stop Buckeye nation from giving Stroud their thoughts on his play.

While speaking with radio host Jim Rome (h/t Colin Gay of the Columbus Dispatch), Stroud revealed that fans would send him messages through Venmo, a mobile payment app.

"For me and my teammates, man, being at Ohio State, if you have any source of social media or type of technology, Ohio State fans have it," Stroud said. "So, man, I was getting DMs—I don't have social media throughout the season—I was getting DMs on Venmo, the money app, from fans telling me, 'Play better,' things like that."

Stroud couldn't have played much better over his two years as the starter. He passed for 8,123 yards, which is the second-highest career total in program history, and added 85 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions.

He ranks top-five in most passing statistical categories for the school and was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist.

Stroud is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in this year's NFL draft along with Alabama's Bryce Young and Kentucky's Will Levis.

He feels the pressure he received from Ohio State fans will help him at the next level.

"I learned so much from it," Stroud told Rome. "But at the end of the day, like I said, I wasn't trying it prove nobody right or wrong. Just prove ourselves right and who we knew we had."

The NFL draft kicks off April 27 with the first round in Kansas City.