Ohio State football’s C.J. Stroud listed as fourth-best quarterback heading into 2022 season

Expectations are high for C.J. Stroud heading into 2022.

The Ohio State redshirt sophomore quarterback is the betting favorite per Draft Kings to win the Heisman Trophy ahead of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who took home the 2021 trophy.

While many think that Stroud could be one of the top options heading into the Buckeyes’ season opener against Notre Dame Sept. 3, Pro Football Focus has three other quarterbacks ahead of the Ohio State redshirt sophomore.

In PFF’s college football preview, Stroud is ranked as the No. 4 quarterback in the country entering the 2022 season, with Young at No. 1, USC’s Caleb Williams at No. 2 and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler at No. 3.

Stroud was the top-ranked quarterback from the Big Ten, ahead of Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa (No. 11), Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell (No. 15), Michigan’s Cade McNamara (No. 29), Minnesota’s Tanner Morgan (No. 38) and Indiana quarterback Connor Bazelak.

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Stroud was also ahead of former Ohio State and current Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who came in at No. 18.

Last season, Stroud has the third-best completion percentage in the country at 71.9%, with a passing efficiency rating of 186.56: second best in the country behind Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall.

While Young recorded more passing yards and passing touchdowns than Stroud a season ago, the Alabama quarterback did it in three more games than the Ohio State redshirt sophomore.

Apr 16, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass during the spring football game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Stroud finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2021, receiving 12 first-place votes behind Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr.’s 31 and former Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III’s 18, both of whom did not place. Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett finished second and third behind Young.

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The Ohio State redshirt sophomore was also snubbed by the Walter Camp Preseason All-America teams, listing Young as the first-team quarterback and Williams for the second team.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State’s CJ Stroud listed as fourth-best QB by PFF