Post-OSU Update: After back-to-back seasons winning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, C.J. Stroud declared for the 2023 NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season. He was selected 2nd overall by the Houston Texans and promptly won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2023. Stroud lead the Texans to the playoffs his rookie season, passing for more than 4,000 yards with a 23-5 TD:Int ratio. His second year was less flashy, but Stroud managed to lead a banged-up Texans offense to the playoffs once again, losing a close road battle to the eventual AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. (updated: Feb. 2025)

Weight: 218 (2022), 215 (2021), 205 (2020)

2022 Media Guide: Will be one of the top quarterbacks in the country and a candidate for all major honors after an award-winning season in 2021 that included being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

2021: Named the Big Ten Conference’s offensive player of the year, quarterback of the year and freshman of the year … a finalist for the Davey O’Brien national quarterback of the year award … third-team Associated Press All-American and a freshman All-American (The Athletic) … led the best offense in the nation as a freshman in 2021 with Ohio State No. 1 nationally in total offense (561.5 yards per game) and scoring offense (45.7 ppg) while also finishing No. 2 in passing efficiency and and No. 3 in passing offense (380.9 ypg) … completed 317-of-441 passes for 4,435 yards with 44 TDs vs. just 6 INTs … finished in the top five nationally in passer efficiency rating (2nd, 186.6), touchdown passes (3rd, 44), completion percentage (3rd, 71.9), yards per game (3rd, 369.6), yard and yards/attempt (2nd, 10.1) … set 17 Ohio State school records in 2021, including 13 passing records: single game yards (573 vs. Utah); single game touchdown passes (6 vs. Michigan State and Utah); season and career completion percentage (71.9); season and career passing yards per game (369.5); season and career 300-yard games (9); career 400-yard passing games; season and career passer efficiency rating (186.6); consecutive pass completions (17 vs. Michigan State); and most games vs. Big Ten teams with five or more TD passes (four) … set four Ohio State total offense records in 2021: single game total offense (583 vs Utah); average total offensive yards for a season and career (367.9); and most games in a season with 300 or more yards of total offense (10) … set five Rose Bowl game records vs. Utah: 573 passing yards; six touchdown passes; 583 yards of total offense; and TDs (6) and points (36) responsible for … named Walter Camp National Player of the Week Nov. 21 after a spectacular first half against No. 7 Michigan State when he completed 29 of 31 passes for 393 yards and a school record-tying six touchdowns … became the first Ohio State quarterback to throw five TD passes without an interception in back to back games (vs. Rutgers and Maryland) … topped those 10 TDs in consecutive games without an interception by throwing 11 TD passes without an interception vs. nationally ranked Purdue and Michigan State, including a school record-tying six vs. MSU.

2021 Media Guide: Will be part of a three-quarterback battle for the starting role headed into the 2021 season … completed 16 of 22 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns in the Spring Game.

2020: Appeared in three games as a true freshman in 2020: vs. Rutgers, vs. Michigan State and vs. Clemson in the CFP Semifinals … had a 48-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter vs. the Spartans.

2020 Media Guide: A five-star prospect who was rated as the nation’s No. 2 pro style quarterback and a top 50 player regardless of position … was one of the top performers at the Elite 11 Finals, earning MVP honors.

High School: Had a spectacular senior season for Rancho Cucamonga and head coach Mark Verti, throwing for 3,878 yards and 47 touchdowns in 13 games … completed 66 percent of his passes … led Rancho Cucamonga to the state semifinals and a 9-4 record … amassed 6,221 yards passing as a starter during his junior and season seasons … had just 15 interceptions in 754 career pass attempts … played in the All-American Bowl on Jan. 4 in San Antonio.