Texans' C.J. Stroud praises Panthers' Bryce Young: 'He's one of the best QBs I've seen'
The Houston Texans quarterback went second in the 2023 NFL Draft after Young landed with the Carolina Panthers at No. 1 overall. Both gunslingers grew up in California, with Young playing for the Inland Empire Ducks while Stroud suited up for Pomona Valley Steelers.
The duo also finished top three in the Heisman Trophy voting during 2021, with Young becoming the first Alabama quarterback to claim the title. And they trained together ahead of the draft with the intent of becoming franchise quarterbacks for their respective programs.
While Stroud, who won the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after becoming the fourth first-year passer to throw for 4,000 yards, has found more success entering Year 3, he's perhaps Young's biggest supporter around the league. Even when Young struggled as a rookie and eventually ended up getting benched, Stroud knew his friend would figure it out.
He has, and it was on display throughout Thursday's joint practice at the Methodist Training Center in Houston. Carolina seems poised to make waves in the NFC South this upcoming fall, and Stroud isn't surprised to see the No. 1 overall pick live up to his status.
"He's very even keeled, very to himself. I think I've seen a dog come out of him that he has that a lot of people haven't seen," Stroud said. "But I know he dealt with some frustrations. I think it's good that we go through these ups and downs to refocus you back on what's important. I think he had that, and I had that last year as well. I think he bounced back like he should, and we all know he can. He's a heck of a player, one of the best quarterbacks I've ever seen in my life. He needs some help around him too. I'm just really proud of that guy. Just the same way he said about me, through every ups and downs, every valley and peak, he stayed the same guy, stayed loyal and stayed a friend and a brother. So, I'm very appreciative of him."
Stroud and Young will do battle in Saturday's exhibition outing, which kicks off at Noon CT from NRG Stadium.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Video: Overlooking a healthy Isiah Pacheco could prove costly this draft season
The expectations for the Kansas City Chiefs for most of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's tenure has been Super Bowl or bust. The Chiefs enter this season trying to get back to the Super Bowl after falling to the Philadelphia Eagles last season. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] One element from the Chiefs' offense that was missing in 2024 was the presence of a solidified run game. For most of the previous two seasons, the backfield had been anchored by Isiah Pacheco. That wasn't the case last year, in large part due injury, but can fantasy football managers count on Pacheco bouncing back this season? Matt Harmon and Justin Boone looked at Pacheco's rising ADP on the latest episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast. Boone points out that Pacheco is healthy and that his competition in the backfield is pretty meager. Behind Pacheco are veterans Kareem Hunt and Elijah Mitchell, as well as rookie Brashard Smith. While Hunt and Mitchell could challenge for touches, and Smith has some pass-catching chops, it's really Pacheco's RB1 role to lose. In 2024, Pacheco missed most of the season due to a fractured fibula sustained early in the season. He was able to return in Week 13 after missing nine games but didn't look like the same player. He would end up finishing the season with 3.7 yards per carry and was barely a factor in Kansas City's run to the Super Bowl. Boone will gladly take Pacheco as his RB2 in drafts this season and Harmon later chimes in that this is the Chiefs, they're going to be a top-5 projected offense in terms of points, and having the RB1 on said offense wouldn't be a bad thing. Pacheco's current ADP has him as the RB24, right at the edge of the RB2 conversation in 12-team leagues.
Fox News
3 minutes ago
- Fox News
Dave Wannstedt on Caleb Williams, Browns QB battle, Dolphins struggles FULL INTERVIEW
Dave Wannstedt joins Colin Cowherd to discuss Joe Flacco being named the starter of the Cleveland Browns, Caleb Williams' impressive preseason drive, and whether or not the Miami Dolphins can bounce back this season.
Boston Globe
4 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Devin McCourty would find it ‘ridiculous' if Patriots never made statue for Bill Belichick
'I'm obviously biased,' McCourty said. 'I think from playing there, and I think playing on defense, and some of the thought processes that went into some game plans, and even overall the team success that the Patriots had, you can't take away. 'And I know people are going to be like 'post-Tom this, and pre-Tom [that].' But what we were able to accomplish in my time there, and what those guys did before me … I think it would be ridiculous that you wouldn't put a statue up of him when that [time] comes.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Should there be a Bill Belichick statue next to Tom Brady's out front of Gillette Stadium? Devin McCourty: "Man, I sure hope so... That success that the Patriots had, you can't take away... I think it would be ridiculous that you wouldn't put a statue up of him." — The Greg Hill Show (@TheGregHillShow) Advertisement While only a handful of coaches in NFL history have earned a statue from their former teams, Belichick has seemingly met the criteria to get one. No coach has won more Super Bowls in NFL history (six) than Belichick, and he has the most conference titles (nine) and second-most wins (333) for a head coach. But even with a résumé that might make Belichick the best coach in NFL history, a statue in his honor still doesn't seem to be a sure thing. Following two straight losing seasons, Belichick's tenure as Patriots head coach came to an unceremonious end in January 2024 after two dozen years at the helm. Advertisement Since then, there's been a lot of drama surrounding the relationship between Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. While there have been a few spicy back-and-forth exchanges between the two, McCourty said he is hopeful that whatever divide exists between them can subside in time for Belichick can get a statue. 'You kind of lean on time heals whatever happened towards the end of everything between the Krafts and Coach Belichick,' McCourty said. 'But I just think it makes a lot of sense for him to have a statue. Whether it's next to Tom, whether it's on another side of the stadium, whatever. 'I think that organization is built on, football-wise, what those two men gave to the team year after year. And we're talking about two decades of excellence that, to me, deserves a statue.' Belichick could also get hired as an NFL head coach again, which would mean that the Patriots might be building a statue of a future opponent. The 73-year-old hasn't shown any signs of slowing down his workload, holding a heavy media presence last season before becoming the head of UNC's football program in December.
