ESPN: C.J. Stroud Still Viewed as 'Top-Tier QB' amid Rumors QB Could Slide in Draft

C.J. Stroud's stock appears to be trending in the wrong direction, but the Ohio State star is still considered "a top-tier quarterback in this class" ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter that "there doesn't seem to be a lot of momentum right now" for Stroud to go second overall to the Houston Texans. He also cited a source who said the Stroud shouldn't slip very far down the board if Houston passes on him.

Fowler speculated a team outside of the top 10 might even trade up "if he slips to five or six."

There were some general concerns with Stroud's game coming out of college. Bleacher Report NFL draft scout Derrik Klassen wrote how the Buckeyes QB "showed late or questionable decision-making when the coverage was rotated or when bodies dropped off the line of scrimmage unexpectedly." Klassen added he possesses "below-average ability to throw from crowded pockets."

Now, the biggest issue with Stroud seems to stem from his score in the S2 cognition test, an exercise that's supposed to measure how quickly a player can process information. According to Go Long's Bob McGinn, Stroud scored 18 on the test (99 is a perfect score).

"That is like red alert, red alert, you can't take a guy like that," an NFL team executive said to McGinn. "That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that's ever done it in the league."

Brady Quinn and Aaron Rodgers both slipped into the 20s on draft day when they were widely considered to be top-10 prospects. It wouldn't be unprecedented for Stroud to tumble into the back half of the first round.

Based on where he has been ranked for almost the entirety of the predraft process, that kind of precipitous drop seems unlikely.