Texans QB C.J. Stroud Falls Out of Top 10 Rankings After Sophomore Struggles

C.J. Stroud didn’t make ESPN’s top 10 quarterback rankings after struggling through his second NFL season. The Texans quarterback was ranked seventh last year following his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, but coaches, executives, and scouts left him off their list this time.

Second Year Troubles Hit Hard

Stroud showed up on nearly half the ballots in Jeremy Fowler’s polling but couldn’t get back the momentum from his rookie year. His numbers took a hit across the board during the 2024 season, which got NFL people talking about where he’s headed.

Stroud’s picks doubled from five to 12 between his rookie and sophomore seasons, though his completion rate only dipped slightly from 63.9% to 63.2%. The Texans’ offense completely crashed down the stretch, managing to put up more than 20 points just twice in their last six games.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky came to Stroud’s defense, blaming the drop on things outside the quarterback’s control. As quarterback rankings shift heading into the new season, new betting sites are transforming options for US players, and experts have made it easy to find reliable, highly rated new online betting sites (source: https://www.footitalia.com/betting-sites/new/).

Orlovsky pointed out that Stroud played behind one of the worst offensive lines in football while his top three receivers got hurt for big parts of the season.

Injuries Pile Up Around Young QB

Houston got hit hard by injuries all season long. Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs both went down with season-ending injuries, and Nico Collins was in and out of the lineup with his health issues. Meanwhile, the offensive line was a disaster, leaving Stroud running for his life on most plays.

Stroud’s numbers went down at the same time Houston’s offense dropped from 13th to 19th in scoring. The team still won another AFC South title and made the playoffs despite these offensive problems, which shows the quarterback can win games even when his stats take a hit.

NFL teams have started looking at these quarterback rankings differently when they plan for next season. Many franchises now use advanced metrics and player evaluations to build their rosters and make personnel decisions.

Young QB Still Has Support

NFL coaches stay positive about Stroud’s future despite his ranking drop. One quarterbacks coach said that bad protection and playcalling can hurt confidence, but noted that Stroud’s basic skills haven’t gone anywhere. The coach specifically mentioned his natural throwing ability and accuracy.

Chris Simms from NBC Sports still has faith in Stroud, placing him at number seven on his QB list. Simms points the finger at Houston’s management decisions for Stroud’s problems, not the player himself. He expects Stroud to get back on track once the Texans give him a better situation.

The Texans tried to fix their offensive problems through coaching changes and new players. The team brought in Nick Caley as offensive coordinator while moving Cole Popovich to handle offensive line duties. These changes should give Stroud a better foundation for his third season.

Most league observers think Stroud will get back into the top 10 rankings next season if Houston’s offensive improvements work out as planned. The young quarterback has shown he can lead a team to division titles and playoff wins, which matters more than individual rankings to most teams.