Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, the consensus was there were four quarterbacks who were potential franchise players, and the expectation was that most, if not all, of these quarterbacks would be taken in the first round.
Ultimately, three of these four players were taken early in the first round, while Will Levis had to wait until early in the second round to be taken by the Tennessee Titans.
Regardless of when these players were taken, they all ended up becoming the starters of their respective teams and have all shown promise at one point or another during the 2023 campaign.
However, only one quarterback has shown superstar potential, with C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans becoming a household name as the league heads into the second half of the regular season.
Even though Bryce Young was widely thought to be the better all-around prospect coming into the draft, the narrative has changed with Stroud playing remarkably well thus far compared to Young, who has won one game thus far for the Carolina Panthers.
Although everyone seems to be jumping on the Stroud bandwagon, like Chris Harris, Darius Slay argues that Stroud simply has the better offensive line, which has given him the edge to start his NFL career.
I wouldn’t say that.. Houston has a way better o-line https://t.co/qM1wD6YGCU
— Darius Slay (@bigplay24slay) November 12, 2023
Even if Stroud has the better offensive line, it matters what he does with it, as a lot of players have been put in prime positions in the past, but fallen short because they can’t handle the pressure and speed of the NFL game.
Stroud clearly seems like he has figured things out quickly in Houston and could be in the running for some regular-season awards as a result.
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John Harbaugh Makes His Thoughts Clear After Loss To Browns