Cj Stroud

Coleridge Bernard “C. J.” Stroud IV was born on October 3, 2001, in Rancho Cucamonga, California. His early life was marked by financial challenges following his father’s incarceration, which led his family to live in a small apartment above a storage facility. Despite these circumstances, Stroud excelled in football, culminating in a standout senior year at Rancho Cucamonga High School where he passed for 3,878 yards and 47 touchdowns. His performance earned him the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin offensive player of the year honor, and he was named MVP of the Elite 11 in 2019. Initially considered a 3-star recruit, he rose to become the third-highest rated quarterback in his class, committing to Ohio State University.

Stroud redshirted his freshman year at Ohio State in 2020, serving as backup to Justin Fields. He played sparingly, scoring a 48-yard rushing touchdown against Michigan State. In 2021, he became the starting quarterback, earning first-team All-Big Ten Honors and being named the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year. He was twice a Heisman Trophy finalist (2021, 2022) and set a school record with 573 passing yards in the 2022 Rose Bowl, tying a record with six touchdown passes in that game. He concluded his college career with 8,123 passing yards and 85 touchdowns.

Selected second overall by the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL draft, Stroud quickly made an impact. In his rookie season, he broke several NFL records, including most passing attempts without an interception to start a career (191) and most passing yards in a single game by a rookie (470). He led the Texans to a division title and a playoff victory, earning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. In his playoff debut, he tied the rookie record for most passing touchdowns in a playoff game and became the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game. His second NFL season saw him continue as a starter, leading the Texans to their second consecutive AFC South title.