The Carolina Panthers select C.J. Stroud, QB OHIO STATE. I know, things can change but if the NFL draft was today I believe that Frank Reich and the Panthers organization would take the OSU gunslinger because he has all the tools and probably is one of the safer picks at quarterback.

The Panthers obtained the number one pick Friday night by sending wide receiver D.J. Moore and their No. 9 overall pick this year along with their second round pick (No. 61 overall) and a first-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025. The Panthers have decided to go all in on a franchise QB so the pressure is on to get it right.

There is some speculation that if they value a couple of the QB’s the same they could trade the #1 overall pick and the organization has said they made the trade with the Bears to give themselves more options for finding the signal-caller of their future.

The Panthers have tried to find franchise QB since the Cam Newton days and the veteran reclaimation projects they brought in last year, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, did not pan out at all. Carolina wants to swing for the fences and they want to make sure they have total control with who they pick so controlling the first overall pick ensures that. The Panthers just have to make the right pick.

Why Stroud is the choice? C.J. Stroud is a complete quarterback. Stroud has the size, 6′ 3″ and 215 lbs. and is very accurate, completing 69.3 percent of his throws while at Ohio State and had 85 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. Stroud, sometimes criticized for not running, showed in the national semi-final that he can scrabble against a great defense, which Georgia clearly was. Stroud was the best player on the field in that game, throwing for four touchdowns and 348 yards.

Why not Young, Levis? Frank Reich likes accuracy and Stroud is more accurate and has more size than Alabama’s Bryce Young. Kentucky’s Will Levis has the size and solid mobility like Stroud but he throw 25 interceptions and fumbled 17 times while in college.

C.J. Stroud deserves to be the number one quarterback taken and that will most likely make him the number one pick overall in this year’s NFL Draft.

*Photo Courtesy of Blogging the Boys*

-Ed In Columbus

@Ed_In_Columbus