When the Houston Texans selected CJ Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, many thought they were making a big mistake. Ohio State quarterbacks have not translated well to the NFL and his scores on pre-draft tests were not great. However, he has since quieted those critics and has become one of the best rookie quarterbacks that the NFL has ever seen.
Not only has Stroud turned the Texans around immediately, he has even forced himself into the MVP conversation for some. Very few rookies have ever been able to do that.
So far this season, Stroud has completed 63.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3,266 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He has also picked up 132 yard and three touchdowns on the ground.
Needless to say, the Texans are being proven right week in and week out for their belief in Stroud.
Next Gen Stats on Twitter recently revealed three insane statistics that Stroud has put up through his first 12 weeks as an NFL quarterback. The numbers are absolutely mind-blowing.
3 Insane Stats To Note For Texans Rookie QB CJ Stroud
As the tweet stated, Stroud currently leads the entire NFL in completions (112) and yards (2,129) on throws past the sticks. That alone shows how aggressive the young quarterback has been thus far to start his career.
He has also generated a league-high +120.4 passing EPA on throws past the sticks, which Next Gen Stats notes is the best of any rookie quarterback since 2016.
C.J. Stroud leads the NFL in completions (112) and yards (2,129) on throws past the sticks this season.
Stroud has generated a league-high +120.4 passing EPA on throws past the sticks, the most by any rookie QB in a season since 2016.#WeAreTexans pic.twitter.com/dj0y5wfTUu
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 30, 2023
At just 22 years of age, CJ Stroud has taken the NFL by storm. He is already viewed as one of the top up-and-coming stars in the league. Also, he has shown no reason to believe that this kind of production won’t continue.
Behind the leadership and play of Stroud, the Texans have gone 6-5 this season. They also were just inches away on a game-tying field goal in Week 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars that could have given them a chance to win another game. Quite simply, they have just looked like a potential playoff contender.
Next up for CJ Stroud and the Texans will be a big Week 13 matchup against the surging Denver Broncos. Make sure to tune in to that game at 1:00 p.m. EST on CBS.