C.J. Stroud 2023 NFL Draft Number 1 Pick Favorite

The 2022 NFL Draft is in the books, and there is already betting available for the 2023 NFL Draft. Bryce Young opened as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick next April, but C.J. Stroud is currently the top option to be the first player selected. There was only one quarterback selected in the first two rounds of this year’s draft, so signal callers are expected to be in high demand this time next year.

WILL C.J. STROUD BE THE FIRST OHIO STATE QB TO GO NO. 1?

Three Ohio State players have been No. 1 overall picks. Linebacker Tom Cousineau (1979), defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson (1994), and Orlando Pace (1997) have all been the first player off the board, but the Buckeyes have never had a quarterback taken No. 1. Art Schlichter currently has the distinction of being the highest drafted Ohio State quarterback, being taken with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft.

C.J. Stroud has the talent to go 1-1. He was superb in his first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback, completing 71.9% of his passes for 4,435 yards with 44 touchdowns and six interceptions. Stroud is losing two first-round receivers in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba posted better numbers than either Wilson or Olave last year, and TreVeyon Henderson is incredible with the ball in his hands.

CAN BRYCE YOUNG BE ALABAMA’S FIRST NO. 1 PICK SINCE 1948?

As great as Nick Saban has been at developing talent at Alabama, the Crimson Tide have not had a No. 1 overall pick in 75 years. Bryce Young has the potential to change all of that though. Young is currently the player to beat in the Heisman Trophy race, as he might be Alabama’s most talented signal caller yet in the Saban era.

Young completed 66.9% of his passes for 4,872 yards with 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. Those are dizzying numbers, but Alabama has lost a lot of talent at receiver. Jameson Williams and John Metchie III are both in the NFL, and top recruit Agiye Hall transferred in April. That could lead to some issues for Young, and he isn’t as safe as a bet as Stroud to go first overall.