Some might be surprised by the immediate personal and team success Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has enjoyed as a rookie, but former college teammate Garrett Wilson is not one of them.
The former Ohio State stars will be on opposite sidelines for the first time in the NFL when the Jets face the Texans on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
“No surprises there. He goes about things the right way,” Wilson said of Stroud after the Jets practiced Friday in Florham Park. “He’s a Buckeye, and we have a process while you’re at Ohio State of being detailed and just the way that translates to this level. I think you’re seeing that with C.J. He’s a special player and a special person.
“You see the way he commands a room, it’s really special. You’re seeing that with the way he’s started his career. I feel like he’s at the lowest it will be, he’s going to keep growing. He’s got a lot to keep building on, which is probably the best part about it.”
Wilson and Stroud played together during Ohio State’s 11-2 season in 2021, with the quarterback taking over the starting spot as a redshirt freshman after Justin Fields left for the NFL.
Stroud threw for more than 4,400 yards and 44 touchdowns in 12 games, with Wilson accounting for 70 catches for 1.068 yards and 12 scores.
Wilson was drafted 10th overall in 2022, and the Texans (7-5) nabbed Stroud with the No. 2 overall selection earlier this year.
The 22-year-old Stroud has handily outplayed top pick Bryce Young of the Panthers and has put himself in the MVP conversation as a rookie with a league-high 3,540 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions for a passer rating of 101.2.
“Oh man, he is a very unique young quarterback,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “He is a guy I really wish we would have played Week One through Four when he was still trying to figure out this game.
“He is doing an amazing job, especially for a rookie, an amazing job. I mean they are leading the league in yardage from a passing perspective, that is unheard of from a rookie’s perspective.”
The Jets also are starting a former No. 2 overall pick this week, going back to Zach Wilson after he was benched for two games.
The Jets have used four quarterbacks this season — including Aaron Rodgers, who hasn’t played since suffering an Achilles injury in Week 1.
The Texans appear to have found their long-term solution at the position after trading Deshaun Watson to the Browns last year.
“The stability at the quarterback position, we’re always chasing it, but I’ll leave that topic for you guys,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Friday. “[Stroud] has been impressive. Their [offensive] line is very talented. Their skill guys are underrated, but C.J. he stands back there. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s confident.
“You could see him progressing and he plays fast, and he plays confident. He’s only going to get better.
“And they put a lot on his shoulders. With regards to the pass game, I think they’re way up there from a pass game standpoint, but he’s an impressive young man.”
Garrett Wilson believes the 6-foot-3 Stroud’s confidence and poise have helped him make an immediate impact at this level.
“He’s always in control,” Wilson said. “He’s always in tune with when he wants to throw, it’s something that he drills at so hard, so it’s no surprise, man.
“You always revert to your training, and he’s a great trainer. The way he goes about practice, it’s no surprise and no secret that he goes about things the right way. He’s reaping the benefits now.”
Speaking to the Post on Friday on behalf of Reform Alliance, Stroud said he “can’t wait” to see Wilson this weekend.
“I’m excited to see him ball,” Stroud said. “That dude is a once-in-a-lifetime type of talent and I just love him. He’s a great person. He checks up on me. We actually texted each other in the beginning of November. We haven’t talked since but we’re both so busy, I get it. So I can’t wait to see him.
— Additional reporting by Jenna Lemoncelli
