The NFL world already knows CJ Stroud, the Ohio State quarterback who is expected to move into second overall in the Thursday Night 2023 Draft, but few know his story.
Stroud has been a star in college football for consecutive seasons, recognized in the form of two Heisman Trophy nominations.
While he may drive a Rolls Royce and have already bought a house in California for his mother and sister, Stroud’s life is more complicated than meets the eye.
According to Sports illustratedStroud’s father – Coleridge Bernard Stroud III – is currently serving a 38-year-to-life sentence after pleading guilty in 2015 to felony sexual assault, robbery, kidnapping and carjacking charges, all related to a drug-related incident.
Struggling financially without the patriarchal figure, the Strouds – a family of six – found themselves in the apartment above a storage unit of which Stroud’s mother, Kimberly, became the manager.
CJ Stroud overcame the adversity when he lost his father to the prison system at the age of 13
Stroud is already mixing it up with NFL stars, including Cowboys stallion Micah Parsons (L)
“It really saved us,” Kimberly told SI in December. “It saved me and my kids from homelessness.”
According to the in-depth piece, Stroud and his father had no relationship for several years after his close ally was incarcerated while the then-promising quarterback was just 13.
“My dads, he was my best friend, to have your best friend snatched like that, it was hard,” he told the outlet.
While calls from prison previously went unanswered, the two are now in contact.
“I just look at the things my dad did that were positive, but for a while I wasn’t like that. I hated my pops, I really did. How could you leave me like this?’
Aside from the SI interview, Stroud has only discussed the matter The Pivot Podcast.
“When I talk to him now, I harbor no ill will. I told him, “I love you.” He made his mistakes. I made mine. It’s not about the bad,” he said.
Make no mistake, thanks to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals – Stroud is already set up, as evidenced by some of his aforementioned purchases.
At one point leading up to tonight’s draft, it looked like Stroud was going to be the No. 1 overall – now the consensus is that Alabama star Bryce Young (R) will go off the board first to the Carolina Panthers
The Ohio State star has broken numerous school records and was a two-time Heisman finalist
But if he is accepted in the first round, he will earn tens of millions of dollars. Per spotracwill earn the first overall pick – ever likely to be Stroud – on a four-year, $41.2 million deal, including a $26.9 million signing bonus.
If Stroud is included in the top five, he will have a minimum $34.5 million contract and a $22.1 million signing add-on.
The 6-foot-3, 240lb quarterback looks like the prototypical signal-calling star. His performance in his last college football games certainly cemented that somewhat.
Stroud holds three all-time records in the Big 10 conference, eclipsing his idol Drew Brees. This is in addition to 13 separate records held at Ohio State – the school that gave the California boy a chance to secure a future far from the rigors of his adolescence.
His college career may look good on the surface, but Stroud faced adversity like all prospects in the Draft class of 2023. After the Buckeyes’ humiliation at the hands of their bitterest rivals, Michigan in Columbus, Stroud received death threats – according to the SI piece.
“It’s in the nature of the beast,” Stroud said ahead of the Peach Bowl classic vs. Georgia, demonstrating the coolness needed in the great quarterbacks. “You accept the good with the bad. I thank God for a second chance at this game. We deserve to be here no matter what happened that day.”
Stroud seized that moment and showed all of his tangible and intangible qualities in a heroic performance, dragging Ohio State to a winning position before the kicker missed a game winner over time.
OSU lost 42-41, missing out on a chance to play in the national soccer championship.
Young and Stroud have enjoyed each other’s company leading up to tonight’s Draft
When drafted by an NFL franchise, Stroud will earn generations of wealth upon signing his deal
In his last collegiate game, Stroud threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns on 23-34 passing. He also demonstrated his elusiveness, rushing for 34 yards on 12 carries.
“He had a choice when his father left,” Kimberly told SI. “He would either let that motivate him and become the best, or he would succumb to it and become a statistic of a kid whose parent did something they shouldn’t,” she said.
“I sit and I am amazed at how resilient he is. CJ is the most amazing human being I’ve ever met.’
NFL fans may never get to see that side of Stroud, but they’ll see the pinnacle of his life’s work, the result of his struggle through adversity when he takes the stage Thursday night to shake hands with Commissioner Roger Goodell. From there, work will begin again to overcome the odds and create a life of superstardom in the competition known as Not For Long.