C.J. Stroud Praised by Rival Coaches Ahead of 2023 NFL Draft: 'The Complete Package'

Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud isn't a lock to be selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft next month, but he's probably pretty close to one.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported last week that Stroud and former Alabama signal-caller Bryce Young were "likely" to be the first two quarterbacks off the board when the first round kicks off April 27 in Kansas City.

With the draft inching closer, rival coaches are praising Stroud as the "complete package," per The Athletic's Bruce Feldman:

"He's so accurate and so calm. I wasn't sure about the [Buckeyes'] previous guy's ability to read coverage. But I know C.J. can. He has such a good ability to process, and his anticipation is so good. He runs better than you think. He's the complete package."

Another coach noted that he believes Stroud is "better than Trevor Lawrence":

"He's such a pure passer and can make all the throws. He does really unique stuff. Watch some of the stuff he did against Michigan. There are two plays in that game, one on a deep go-ball and another on a corner route, where the DB undercuts it. It's to the wide side of the field, and he just drops it in over the outside shoulder. Then, I'm watching him against Georgia, against those guys, and he was dominant in that game. We did our best to disrupt the timing, and he still got us. We played more aggressively at the line of scrimmage and he made a bunch of big plays. On third-and-11s, in real rough spots, he was able to improvise when it wasn't there. If we didn't match a pattern or cover a guy just right, he took advantage every time."

The Carolina Panthers have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft after trading up for the selection in a deal with the Chicago Bears.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Thursday that "most people" believe the Panthers are going to select Stroud with the No. 1 pick:

"The Carolina Panthers would have you believe they moved up from No. 9 to No. 1 in the draft without knowing which quarterback they're taking. As you'd expect, some people don't believe that, and a very unscientific poll of sources to whom I spoke at the meeting tells me most people believe they're taking Ohio State's C.J. Stroud."

Stroud had an impressive 2022 season with the Buckeyes, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 3,688 yards and 41 touchdowns against six interceptions in 13 games. He also rushed for 108 yards.

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department lists Stroud as the best quarterback in the 2023 class and the sixth-best prospect overall.