C.J. Stroud addresses S2 Cognition test: 'I'm not a test taker. I play football'
One day before the 2023 NFL draft, C.J. Stroud addressed reports about his S2 Cognition test scores.
Bob McGinn, a former Green Bay Packers beat writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reported the former Ohio State quarterback scored in the 18th percentile testing his visual and instinctive learning, along with impulse control and observation while measuring how players process and make split-second decisions.
And while his reported 18th percentile score is much lower than Alabama's Bryce Young, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson, among others, Stroud reemphasized his confidence in himself ahead of the NFL draft.
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“I'm not a test taker. I play football," Stroud told Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler. "At the end of the day, I don’t have nothing to prove to nobody. I’m not (going to) sit here and explain how I process football. The people who are making the picks know what I can do, so that’s all the matters to me.
CJ Stroud says he is a football player and “not a test taker” in reference to an S2 question. pic.twitter.com/G72Eaqtwgc
— Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler) April 26, 2023
"There’s a whole bunch of people who know how to coach better, know how to play quarterback better, know how to do everything on social media," Stroud continued. "But the man in the arena, that’s what tough is stepping into the arena 10 toes. And I’m going to stand on that. I know what I can do, I know what I can process. If I’m not the smartest quarterback in this draft, I know I’m one of the smartest quarterbacks in the NFL when I step in there tomorrow.
"I have confidence in myself. I don’t think you can play at Ohio State and not be smart. I don’t have nothing to prove to nobody man. At the end of the day, if you don’t trust and believe in me, I’ll tell you to watch this."
Multiple sources told McGinn that Young's total score was in the 98th percentile, while Fresno State's Jake Haener was at 96%, Levis and BYU's Jaren Hall finished at 93%, Houston's Clayton Tune finished at 84%, Richardson finished at 79 and Tennessee's Hendon Hooker was at 46%.
“Stroud scored 18,” an executive said. “That is like red alert, red alert, you can’t take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that’s ever done it in the league.”
Ohio State coach Ryan Day told The Dispatch Sunday he was "surprised" that this storyline has emerged with Stroud.
“Of all the things, I just feel like this is one that I've always felt was what makes him special," Day said. "For this to be something that's a topic of conversation right now is catching me off guard.”
In two seasons as Ohio State's starting quarterback, Stroud threw for 8,123 passing yards, 85 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Stroud was a two-time Heisman finalist and a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year for the Buckeyes in each season as a starter.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: C.J. Stroud addresses S2 Cognition test before 2023 NFL draft
