Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is forgoing his remaining college eligibility and entering the 2023 NFL Draft.

The two-time Heisman Trophy finalist announced his decision Monday on Twitter.

“This process has been difficult, and the decision, one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make,” Stroud wrote. “As a kid, I dreamed of playing football at the highest level, and after much prayer, I’ve made the decision that it’s time to turn those dreams into reality.”

Stroud enjoyed an impressive two-year run as the Buckeyes’ starting QB in 2021 and ’22. He threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in 26 career games.

The two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection ranks second in program history in both career passing yards and touchdowns. He holds multiple school records, including most passing yards in a single game (573), as well as being the first QB in program history to throw for six scores three times.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound signal-caller was a second-team All-American in 2022 and a third-team selection in 2021. He became the Buckeyes’ first two-time Heisman finalist since the Heisman Trust began inviting multiple finalists in 1982.

Stroud is projected to be a top-10 selection in April’s NFL Draft. FOX Sports’ David Helman has the Ohio State quarterback going No. 4 overall to the Indianapolis Colts in a recent 2023 NFL Mock Draft.