The New England Patriots will be the first-ever NFL opponent for C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, his coach reveals.
On Monday, Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told NFL Network that Stroud will get the start Thursday night when the teams open up their preseason schedules.
“Thursday, C.J. will go out there first,” Ryans said on “Inside Training Camp Live.”
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As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted during the conversation, the first-round pick out of Ohio State has gotten the bulk of first-team reps in practice the past four days. However, Ryans declined to name an official starter for the regular season.
Stroud has been competing with veterans Case Keenum and Davis Mills at the quarterback position in Houston, which is under its first season with Ryans as head coach.
The choice of whether or not to play starters in the preseason ultimately comes down to the individual teams.
The Patriots will host the Texans Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
