The notion that CJ Stroud could be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL may seem slightly far-fetched to the casual observer, but it was only about two years ago when we were declaring that the Houston Texans signal-caller was having one of the greatest rookie seasons ever, and even pondering whether he should be a legitimate candidate to win MVP.
Since then, Stroud's fall from grace has been gradual, surprising, and probably slightly overblown. In his sophomore season, Stroud played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL and lost two of his top three receivers, and yet the Texans still advanced to the Divisional Round of the Playoffs for the second straight season.