C.J. Stroud

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud said players should receive a portion of the Big Ten's new media rights agreements.

"I definitely think it should be shared, but if not, at the end of the day, we have the NIL space," Stroud said, per Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch. "We can do it that way. The new college world is turning around, and I'm here for it."

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported the new broadcast contracts with CBS, Fox and NBC, which begin in July, will be worth over $7 billion over seven years and include an annual payout between $80 million and $100 million to each member school.

Stroud finished fourth in last season's Heisman Trophy voting and has become a popular choice for companies making deals for name, image and likeness as he attempts to lead the Buckeyes toward a national title.

In June, WCMH's Justin Holbrock reported the quarterback formed a partnership with the Sarchione Auto Gallery to drive a Mercedes AMG G 63 after he'd signed NIL agreements with Morris Home Furniture and apparel retailer Express earlier in the offseason.

"This game is amazing, especially the college atmosphere, because it does have amateurism to it," Stroud said. "That's definitely a plus. But at the same time, I'm not 100 percent sure what our tuition is, but I'm sure it's not the worth of what we're actually worth. My mom has always told me to know my worth."

While the biggest NIL deals are usually going to the country's most well-known players, a revenue-sharing system could benefit all student-athletes.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh argued in July the TV deal should be split with the players.

"They use their name, image and likeness on the TV broadcasts," Harbaugh said. "They're the ones signing the mega-TV deals. And a new one's coming in 2024. Why can't that be an NIL deal right from the Big Ten? Because that's who's negotiating the TV deals, and that's where the big money is."

Meanwhile, the Action Network's Brett McMurphy reported Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren says in an upcoming interview with HBO's Real Sports that paying student-athletes is on the table.

"Those are things we have to resolve. We have to," Warren said. "So I want to be part of this conversation and will be part of this conversation of what we can do to make this better."

Last year's Supreme Court ruling in favor of athletes being able to earn money from their NIL rights while still in college basically brought an end to the amateurism era in the NCAA.

What's followed are NIL contracts for players and a whirlwind of high-profile programs changing conferences to best align themselves to bring in future revenue.

As the money around college sports continues to rise, in large part because of TV deals, it appears the players are trending toward receiving a piece of the pie.

A pair of high-profile quarterbacks are near the top of ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay's early rankings for the 2023 NFL draft.

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young are ranked third and fourth, respectively, but defensive players primarily dominate the top five.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. is the No. 1 overall player on McShay's big board, while Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is second and Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith is fifth.

Both Stroud and Young were starting quarterbacks at the collegiate level for the first time last season, and each of them thrived.

Stroud finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting after completing 71.9 percent of his passes for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Meanwhile, Young completed 66.9 percent of his passing attempts for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions en route to winning the Heisman.

Stroud and Young are widely considered the top two quarterbacks in the nation entering the 2022 season both in terms of producing at the collegiate level and establishing themselves as potential top picks in the 2023 NFL draft.

The quarterback talent promises to be rich in the 2023 draft, as McShay also gave Kentucky's Will Levis and Miami's Tyler Van Dyke first-round grades by ranking them 21st and 26th, respectively.

If those rankings hold up, the 2023 draft will be significantly different from the 2022 draft, as only one quarterback was selected in the first round this year.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took Pitt's Kenny Pickett 20th overall, and the next quarterback didn't come off the board until the Atlanta Falcons selected Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder 74th overall in the third round.

Last season also marked the first time since 2017 and only the second time since 2015 that a quarterback didn't go first overall.

Stroud and Young are strong candidates to go No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft depending on the order, but if a team that doesn't need a quarterback picks first, Anderson could be a clear choice.

Anderson finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season after racking up a spectacular 17.5 sacks and 31 tackles for loss for a Crimson Tide team that reached the National Championship Game.

The past three non-quarterbacks to go No. 1 overall in the draft were all pass-rushers in Jadeveon Clowney, Myles Garrett and Travon Walker, meaning Anderson could be the prospect to beat at this point.

With the 2022 NFL draft well behind us, the discussion about who will be the top quarterback selected in the 2023 draft has begun, and right now, it appears Ohio State's C.J. Stroud has a slight edge over Alabama's Bryce Young.

In a poll of 12 NFL evaluators by ESPN's Matt Miller, Stroud received five first-place votes, while Young received three. Kentucky's Will Levis also received three first-place votes.

A rival college coach said of Stroud: "He just doesn't make mistakes. Some might see him as too cautious, but he picks apart defenses with his accuracy and his patience."

An NFL scout added that Stroud is "the most polished" and "his mechanics are clean."

Miller added that Stroud's early NFL comp is Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert because he has similar arm strength and has "a similarly strong frame with a running ability that could explode in the NFL."

The 20-year-old was a 4-star prospect out of Rancho Cucamonga, California, when he committed to Ohio State in December 2019. At the time, he was the third-ranked quarterback in the 2020 class in 247Sports' composite rankings, behind only Young and Clemson's DJ Uiagalelei.

Stroud had an impressive freshman season for the Buckeyes in 2021, completing 71.9 percent of his passes for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns against six interceptions in 12 games.

Ohio State finished the season 11-2 but failed to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, the team was selected to the Rose Bowl, which it won 48-45 over the Utah Utes.

After being a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2021, Stroud will be looking to take the next step in his career in 2022 and will aim to lead the Buckeyes back to a victory in the national championship game for the first time since the 2014 season.

As for Young, scouts voiced concerns about his smaller size. He is listed as 6'0", 194 pounds.

"He's not Kyler Murray, OK? Kyler is thick throughout his frame. Kyler is short, not small. Young is small," one NFL scout told Miller.

However, an opposing coach still lauded Young while speaking with Miller:

"He's a point guard. You want guys who can distribute the ball and charge the offense, and he does that. He's a magician with some of those passing angles he finds."

Miller added that Young's early NFL comp is Murray because, as shorter quarterbacks, they have a similar style of play and Young's "field vision and ability to create when the play breaks down is Murray-esque."

Young appeared in seven games for Alabama as a freshman in 2020, completing 13 of 22 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown.

The 21-year-old flourished as Alabama's starter in 2021, completing 66.9 percent of his passes for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He led the Crimson Tide to the national championship game against Georgia, but the team fell 33-18.

Young completed 33 of 57 passes in that game for 369 yards and one touchdown, but he also tossed two interceptions against the nation's best defense.

Like Stroud, Young will be looking to help Alabama win the national title this season before making the jump to the NFL.