Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is putting together one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history. Fresh off setting a rookie record for passing yards in a game, Stroud has now completed 62% of his passes at an average of 8.1 yards per attempt, with 14 touchdowns against just one interception.
He has been really, really good -- and not just for a rookie. By almost any measurement, he has been a borderline top-10 or better quarterback this year. His off-target throw rate is fairly high (not unexpected for a rookie working behind a depleted offensive line) and he's gotten a tad lucky with the interceptions, but he's otherwise been pretty spectacular. Among 32 qualified passers leaguewide, Stroud ranks 12th in QBR, fourth in passer rating, and fifth in Tru Media's version of EPA/play.
Stroud was available to the Texans with the No. 2 overall pick in April's draft, and general manager Nick Caserio explained recently why they landed on him out of a talented group of quarterbacks who were there for the taking.
"I think, his personality, you feel it," Caserio said, during a conversation with Good Morning Football's Peter Schrager. "You feel his presence when you're in the room with him. There's a confidence. There's a competitiveness. There's an edge, in a good way of what you want. And he has, I would say, it's that balance of confidence and humility. Like you believe in yourself, but you also have to make sure that there are times when you take a step back and you put your ego aside."
Whatever led the Texans to Stroud, it appears they've found themselves a home-run selection and a bona-fide franchise quarterback for the future. That's the most important thing any team can have. Now Houston has to be up for the challenge of building the rest of the team out around him.
