It took a little longer than expected, but Ohio State star quarterback CJ Stroud officially announced today that he will forgo his remaining eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Proverbs 3:5,6 pic.twitter.com/FdA2ftqQFJ

— CJ Stroud (@CJ7STROUD) January 16, 2023

The dynamics of the announcement surprised Buckeyes fans for weeks and recent tweets from both the official Ohio State Twitter account as well as other related figures (along with the lack of an announcement until deadline day) gave Ohio State fans hope that Stroud somehow would elect to remain in Columbus next year.

Regardless, the quarterback will now head to the NFL as a surefire top-five pick after throwing for 3,688 yards and 41 touchdowns for the Buckeyes in 2022. The two-year starter never beat Michigan and lost to Georgia in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve, but threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns in that game (with no turnovers) and quieted some criticisms with that electric performance combined with tough running plays scattered amidst the big passing day.

Stroud’s Ohio State legacy will be a complicated one. On one hand, he did not beat Michigan (0-2 as a starter) and lost to Georgia. On the other hand, he played well in all three of those games, especially the Peach Bowl where he gave the Buckeyes a legitimate chance to win with his performance.

The next signal-caller will likely either be Kyle McCord or Devin Brown, two highly-touted but inexperienced players. They will also have most of Stroud’s supporting cast from a year ago, with TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr, Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Xavier Johnson, and Cade Stover all expected to return to Ohio State for the 2023 season.

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