Should the Indianapolis Colts draft C.J. Stroud?

C.J. Stroud is one of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft and is surely on the Indianapolis Colts’ radar.

The Ohio State quarterback has been nothing less than spectacular during his two years as a starter. In 2021, he recorded 4,435 passing yards, 44 touchdowns, and six interceptions. This season, he has posted 3,340 yards, 37 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. In both seasons, he finished in the top four in Heisman voting.

Stroud had three separate 6-touchdown games, with two of those performances coming against Michigan State.

Ohio State NFL QB Curse

Each and every year, we see a smorgasbord of Ohio State players taken in the NFL draft. While many of those guys go on to become stars at the next level, quarterbacks from that school just don’t tend to pan out for some reason.

Drafted by the Baltimore Colts fourth overall in 1982, former Buckeye Art Schlichter played only 13 NFL games and is now known as one of the biggest draft busts of all time.

We've also seen tons of other Buckeye QB legends like Troy Smith—the last player from the school to win the Heisman Trophy—Bobby Hoying, Cardale Jones, Dwayne Haskins, and J.T. Barrett fail to emerge as impact NFL players.

However, Justin Fields just might’ve broken the “Ohio State Quarterback Curse.” The current Chicago Bears star, who’s in his second pro season, has over 1,000 rushing yards this year, as he has joined Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to accomplish such a feat.

Now that Fields is looking like a future star in Chicago, maybe all the "but he went to Ohio State" talk will end.

Future franchise quarterback in Indy?

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud a frustrating 4-10-1 record, the Colts are clearly one of the worst teams in the league right now. They must address several areas, such as the offensive line, but their biggest need is a young, franchise quarterback who they can build around for many years to come.

With a frustrating 4-10-1 record, the Colts are clearly one of the worst teams in the league right now. They must address several areas, such as the offensive line, but their biggest need is a young, franchise quarterback who they can build around for many years to come.

Since Andrew Luck retired in 2019, the Colts have added veterans like Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and now Matt Ryan this season. But none of those guys has been the long-term answer in Indianapolis.

Stroud could certainly become the piece Indy has needed since Luck left town. He has loads of potential and is a pure pocket passer who possesses great overall accuracy. While it may take a few years to develop, Stroud could return the Colts to relevance in the not-so-distant future.