CJ Stroud leads the record of candidates for NFL Offensive Rookie of the 12 months

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is on his method to establishing himself as a high candidate for the 2023 NFL Rookie of the 12 months award and as a premier participant on the high stage.

It is nonetheless early days, however Stroud is exhibiting that he is greater than able to being a beginning quarterback. Final season, the Texans had a 3-13-1 report. Stroud’s efficiency, together with an help Sunday in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led the Texans to a 4-4 win, second within the AFC South. Reworking the Texans from a weak laughing inventory right into a staff with a reputable probability to make the playoffs in eight video games is nearly a dream state of affairs for the franchise.

Stroud is joyful, however nowhere close to settled with 9 video games remaining within the season.

“It is a huge win for us, and as you’ll be able to see, November and December are the instances once you need to play your finest soccer,” Stroud advised reporters after the win. “Now, we simply need to transfer up and rise and lead within the playoffs and hopefully get an opportunity to win a division.”

The Texans chosen Stroud second total within the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State after the Carolina Panthers chosen Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Younger out of Alabama with the primary decide.

Stroud ranks seventh amongst NFL quarterbacks in passing yards (2,270) and is tied for seventh in landing passes at 14. As spectacular as his capacity to deal with the soccer is, with just one interception this season, he has the fewest Amongst any midfielder with no less than 100 tries.

In line with FanDuel’s odds on Monday, Stroud is the main candidate for the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the 12 months award at -550 with Los Angeles Rams broad receiver Puka Nacua in second place at +750. Detroit Lions operating again Jahmyr Gibbs (+1500), Atlanta Falcons operating again Bijan Robinson (+2400) and Minnesota Vikings broad receiver Jordan Addison (+3500) spherical out the highest 5 starters with the most effective odds.

Stroud’s finest recreation to this point was Sunday’s record-setting rating in opposition to Tampa. He threw for 470 yards and accomplished 30 of 42 move makes an attempt for 5 touchdowns, setting the rookie report for passing yards in a recreation. It was a bounce-back recreation for Stroud after throwing for 140 yards and no touchdowns the week earlier than in losses to Younger and the Carolina Panthers.

Stroud obtained the ball with lower than a minute left within the recreation after Tampa took a late lead on a Baker Mayfield landing move. The rookie led the Texans down the sphere on a 75-yard, six-play drive in 40 seconds, culminating in a 15-yard landing to broad receiver Tank Dell.

“It is a gutsy efficiency from him,” head coach Demico Ryans advised reporters after Sunday’s recreation. “It wasn’t all clear, however he introduced it out. He was stable within the pocket, made some passes, made some huge throws for us, and the receivers, they have been dependable for him. They made these pictures, made powerful catches, performed a giant position for us, so All these guys have been working collectively. However CJ, it was a really gutsy efficiency.”

Stroud is the third participant in NFL historical past with no less than 470 yards, 5 TDs and no interceptions in a single contest. Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer YA Tittle and former two-time Tremendous Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger are the opposite two to have completed the feat.

At his present tempo, Stroud has an opportunity to interrupt Andrew Luck’s rookie report for passing yards in a season. Luck had 4,374 receiving yards throughout his 16-game rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2012. Stroud may break that report in his sixteenth recreation on the present tempo, however he has the added bonus of a seventeenth recreation, which the league adopted earlier than the 2021 season. .

Houston ranks second within the AFC South, behind the 6-2 Jacksonville Jaguars. Subsequent up for the Texans is a matchup in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals, who’re 5-3 and using a four-game successful streak following Sunday’s win over the Buffalo Payments.