Yahoo Sports NFL analyst Nate Tice, fantasy analyst Matt Harmon and NFL writer Charles McDonald dive into QB CJ Stroud’s first year and whether his success as a rookie was a fluke or a sign of more to come. Listen to the full conversation on the “Zero Blitz” podcast — and subscribe at , or wherever you listen.
Video transcript
I just wrote about CJ Stroud.
Uh, he’s good.
Uh, I don’t know if anyone knows this, but he’s really good.
Uh uh, I’ll just make it clear that he had the sixth-highest EPA per drop of any rookie quarterback since 2006.
But he was also a top five quarterback if you just look at the true throwbacks, in that there is no play action, no RP OS.
And that’s where you watch CJ Stroud, you know, make magic.
It’s not Dalton Schultz’s open touchdown, the playoffs or any of those open ones that we normally see some of the Shanahan-type offense that Bobby Slick runs.
It’s him dropping back on third down, reading the entire field and finding fourth progression, looking at safeties moving in the pocket, not even looking to scramble and firing a rocket there.
He is incredible.
I’m excited about CJ Stroud.
I’m really excited about this team especially because we saw CJ Stroud last year and you just listed basically what makes him so good if he takes another step and you have Stefan Diggs and Stefon Diggs is willing to take a step back at wide receiver two roles.
If he is willing to do that, he is a very mellow personality who has never had any problems with his previous team.
So it’s good.
It is good.
I don’t think I’m ready to say they’re going to beat Kansas City or Baltimore in the playoffs, but considering where they are right now, I personally would be a little surprised if they didn’t win, uh, the AFC South, unless, you know, Anthony Richardson be, you know, meditating and ready to set the world on fire.
I won’t go so far as to say they can beat Kansas City, but I think they could easily be the second best team in this conference this year.
If everything goes well.
C.J.
Shrout is a freaking monster.
He’s unbelievable coming back.
He is unbelievable play action.
He can catch the ball quickly, he can throw the ball down the field.
He is super aggressive.
He’s super smart.
I’m curious if they spread it more.
If it’s not, it doesn’t feel like so much of a Shanahan attack with lots of tight sets where they just let Stroud back off and rip.
