One of the biggest surprises during this 2023 NFL regular season has been the emergence of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud into a legitimate star in this league after being taken by the Houston Texans with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Stroud has played so well this season that he has the Texans currently in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC South division with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts.

The Texans are 9-7 coming into the final week of the NFL regular season and could very well be playoff-bound once the dust settles after Week 18.

With Stroud putting on a show during his first season in the league, he has turned a lot of heads and has former NFL star wide receiver Chad Ochocinco singing his praises while picking him as the quarterback he’d want to start a franchise with, while Shannon Sharpe went with NFL MVP favorite Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens via Nightcap.

“You would probably be foolish not to say Lamar,” Sharpe said.

Ocho got Stroud, Unc got Lamar… who you pickin to start a franchise with? @ShannonSharpe @ochocinco pic.twitter.com/fUexPSSoYL

— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) January 2, 2024

With Jackson having the Ravens firing on all cylinders and cruising into the NFL playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, he’s the typical choice in a discussion like this between Ochocinco and Sharpe, but Stroud is the intriguing choice with no ceiling on what he can do as of yet.

In the 14 games he’s played thus far in his rookie campaign, Stroud has thrown for 3,844 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only five interceptions.

Stroud has also rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns, which makes him somewhat of a dual threat for the Texans.

The post Shannon Sharpe Names QB He Would Start An NFL Franchise With appeared first on The Cold Wire.