CJ Stroud ‘ghosted’ Manning Passing Academy at last minute?

Apr 17, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback CJ Stroud (7) drops to throw during the first quarter of the annual spring game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

CJ Stroud is viewed as one of the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft and is expected by many to be the second quarterback taken. Former quarterback Brady Quinn ranks Stroud second and believes the Ohio State product will be the second quarterback selected. But Quinn also says there are a few things about Stroud that may have some teams slightly concerned.

Quinn serves as an analyst for CBS Sports and spoke with Will Brinson and Katie Mox for an interview that was published on Wednesday. He was breaking down the draft situation for Bryce Young and Stroud and specifically talked about what teams may or may not see in Stroud. Quinn said that if the Texans pass on Stroud, the Ohio State quarterback could slip. He was speaking from the perspective of teams that might decide to pass on Stroud and sharing concerns those teams might have. He talked about Stroud’s play under pressure, the talent surrounding the quarterback at Ohio State, and also some interview concerns.

First time I’ve seen this anywhere:

CBS Sports analyst Brady Quinn ranks CJ Stroud as his QB2, but mentions that Stroud initially committed to the Manning Passing Academy, but “the night before he ghosted them and didn’t show up” pic.twitter.com/1UkkaUYVpL

— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌🏽 (@PanthersAnalyst) April 19, 2023

“And then there’s some other stuff about interviews. For example, the Manning Passing Academy, I’ve been told that he committed to it the night before and just kind of ghosted them, didn’t show up,” said Quinn. “That’s football royalty. And when you do that, that’s going to set off some alarms for people. Like, ‘hey man, that’s not how you conduct yourself, especially around the Manning family or just in general if you’re gonna be a franchise quarterback.'”

The Manning Passing Academy is a highly respected camp that was founded by Archie Manning and has been going on for over 26 years. Being invited to serve as a counselor is a high honor that comes with the promise of connecting a player with some of the most accomplished coaches and quarterbacks in football. A June 2022 story from the Columbus Dispatch said that Stroud was going to serve as a counselor for the event.

Though Quinn shared that anecdote, he complimented Stroud’s character and said he still believes Stroud is a good prospect.

“I still view him as the second quarterback that should be taken in this draft class. He’s the most accurate quarterback in this draft class. He showcased the athleticism and ability. Any time I’ve been around the kid, he’s been an upstanding young man who’s grown and matured into a leader.”

Stroud still could very well go to Houston (or another team) No. 2 overall. But Quinn was saying those things to provide background in the case that Stroud doesn’t go No. 2/isn’t the second quarterback selected.

Here is the full interview: