CJ Stroud stirred up the NFL community when he revealed his top 5 quarterbacks from last season on the Caps Off podcast.
His list included Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, himself, Dak Prescott, and Jalen Hurts. The hosts were taken aback, particularly by the inclusion of Dak Prescott at number 4 and the exclusion of Joe Burrow altogether.
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What many overlook is that Stroud‘s list is subjective. However, it didn’t sit well with many fans and analysts. While Mahomes and Jackson are universally recognized as top-tier quarterbacks, Shannon Sharpe was puzzled by the absence of Josh Allen and Jordan Love.
Shannon Sharpe was brought to hysterics by Stroud’s picks
Sharpe voiced his own preferences, feeling that Joe Burrow deserved the second or third spot. Sharpe was also baffled by Stroud’s choices, believing that Jordan Love or Josh Allen should have made the cut.
Sharpe stated emphatically when asked to produce his own selection of top five quarterbacks.
“Dak or Jalen Hurts aren’t going over Jordan Love or Josh Allen for me, based on last year,” Sharpe claimed.
He then listed his top QBs: Mahomes, Jackson, Stroud, Love, and after a pause, Josh Allen. Sharpe justified his inclusion of Allen by highlighting his impressive stats from the 2023 season, which included over 4,300 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 524 rushing yards, and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Stroud’s Stellar Performance and List Revision
CJ Stroud‘s impressive performance as the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, including a standout playoff debut against the Browns with 274 passing yards (236 in the first half), initially justified his high self-ranking. Despite this, public and professional scrutiny led him to reconsider his list.
Stroud eventually revised his rankings, giving due recognition to Josh Allen. Allen’s performance, with significant passing and rushing stats, earned him a spot in Stroud’s updated list.
Meanwhile, Dak Prescott, despite leading the league with 36 passing touchdowns, was often criticized for his playoff shortcomings.
The Revised List
Succumbing to the pressure, Stroud posted his revised list on Instagram. This time, he ranked Mahomes first, followed by Lamar Jackson, himself, Josh Allen, and Dak Prescott at fifth, removing Jalen Hurts from the lineup.
Despite the changes, Stroud acknowledged his admiration for Joe Burrow, noting that he modeled aspects of his game after Burrow’s.
