Ohio State Quarterbacks and the Mysterious Puzzle of NFL Success

Will C.J. Stroud break the mold or simply become another name in the ever-growing list of disappointing Buckeye quarterbacks?

Overcoming a narrative is a difficult thing to do. When people assume a result based on the track record of their predecessors, it is easy for a self-fulfilling prophecy to manifest into reality. In sports, we see this when specific teams hire a coach or acquire a player with a history of failure. And then it is that one coach or player that changes everything. The Chicago Bulls were a laughingstock before Michael Jordan arrived and he transformed them into a powerhouse and global brand. But there were years of losing culture to overcome before that could happen.

We are a couple of months away from the NFL Draft, where up to 5 quarterbacks could be drafted in the first round to transform franchises that are down on their luck. The expectations levied on a young 21 or 22-year-old to save a franchise and a city are enormous. But for Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, there is the added pressure of coming from a school with a dreadful record of producing quality players at the quarterback position. Is Stroud the one that will break the cycle of mediocrity of the Ohio State quarterback or simply be another name added to an ever-growing list of draft disappointments?