Accepting that CJ Stroud Won't Make the NFL Top 100

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Payne & Pendergast

Episode: Accepting that CJ Stroud Won't Make the NFL Top 100
Date: July 16, 2026
Hosts: Seth Payne, Sean Pendergast
Guest: Cole Thompson
Main Theme: Evaluating why Texans QB CJ Stroud likely won’t appear on the NFL's Top 100 list, what the rankings really mean, and how league perceptions and media lists currently stack up against his career performance.

---

Episode Overview

Payne and Pendergast dive into the recent revelation that C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans quarterback, may not make this year’s NFL Top 100 players list as compiled by the league, and dissect what this says about his standing in the NFL. With a mix of sharp humor and nuanced skepticism about the logic behind the NFL and media player rankings, they compare Stroud’s journey and reputation to fellow young QB Bryce Young, explore the methodology and flaws in top 100 polling, and debate the ESPN positional rankings with insight from NFL insiders.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Top 100: Legitimacy & Methodology

• Sean’s Realization: Sean Pendergast admits he's accepted that C.J. Stroud won’t make the top 100 list this year, in part due to Lamar Jackson being ranked just #69.

  • Notable Quote:

    “I treated the NFL Top 100 like Moses is coming down from the mountain with it carved on.” – Sean (01:19)

  • Sean considers the list highly, as it’s "the only thing we have" that reflects actual player opinions, but Seth counters that the voting process is deeply flawed.

• Player Balloting Process (01:36–02:37):

  • Only top-20 players are written on each ballot.
  • Results in some oddities—e.g., Bryce Young in the Top 100 at #98 despite lackluster play, due to singular high rankings by a few players.
  • Seth’s Point:

    “That means somebody out there ranked Bryce Young as a top 20 player in the NFL...which is absurd.” – Seth (02:00)

• Perception versus Reality (03:03–04:57):

  • Player voting occurs pre-playoffs; perceptions may lag behind post-season narratives.
  • Despite Stroud’s rookie successes, he might have “finished a little bit outside the top 100 or whatever,” which aligns with the overall hesitancy around young QBs.

---

2. Comparing C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young

• Trade Hypothetical (05:28–06:39):

  • Sean asks: Would Texans or Panthers swap their QBs?

    "Bryce Young for C.J. Stroud—who says no?" – Sean (05:53)

  • Consensus: Texans say no. There’s more upside/comfort with Stroud, despite neither QB being a surefire franchise answer right now.

• Historical Perspective (06:38–07:14):

  • The very fact that it’s a discussion (Bryce vs. CJ) shows both franchises are still searching for certainty at quarterback.

• League-Wide Perception Doldrums (07:33–08:32):

  • Analysts are cautious: They “want to believe” in C.J. Stroud, but can’t ignore his statistical modesty and supporting cast issues. This year is seen as a prove-it year for him.

    “Everybody is waiting to see…if the Texans actually have an okay rushing attack and the offensive line is stabilized…what do we see out of CJ Stroud then?” – Seth (08:00)

---

3. Media Rankings & League Indifference

• ESPN Positional Rankings vs. NFL Top 100 (08:32–09:47):

  • ESPN’s list has C.J. Stroud with “one vote,” finishing behind Daniel Jones.
  • Stroud voted top-7 after his rookie year; now nearly out of the honorable mentions.

    “He was the first name mentioned in the honorable mention.” – Cole (13:41)

  • Joked confusion between Mac Jones and Daniel Jones typifies waning recognition.

• Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) on Stroud’s Reputation

  • [10:22–11:23; Audio Clip]

    “I didn’t get enough responses on CJ Stroud…He just wasn’t a factor in the voting. But the abilities are there...Some people wonder: is that a byproduct of something going on behind the scenes, or was he just uncomfortable in the offense?...He has a chance to be a fast riser because the tools and skillset are there.” – Jeremy Fowler (10:22–11:23)

  • Sean’s take: It’s almost worse that CJ is met with indifference now vs. negative attention.

    “The categorization of the league being indifferent towards CJ Stroud...is more insulting than him just getting one vote.” – Sean (12:20)

• Year-over-Year Fall, and "Game Manager" Concerns (11:23–15:10):

  • CJ’s arc: Top-7 after rookie year → 11th last year → barely mention now.
  • Could he fade into a game manager role unless he or the offense pops next season?

    “Does he kind of settle in as people...a guy that people kind of look at like...a game manager Smith level player?” – Seth (13:24)

---

4. Which Ranking is Best (NFL Top 100 vs. ESPN)?

• Preference for ESPN’s List (14:45–15:21):

  • ESPN's is after the season and more analytical.
  • NFL Top 100 has more “pomp and circumstance” but ignores O-linemen, is less rigorous.

    “I know I’m an NFL top 100 sycophant...I like the ESPN one better because it’s top 10 by position.” – Sean (15:10) “The NFL top 100 ignores certain positions entirely.” – Sean (15:21)

• Jalen Hurts Example (15:51–16:49):

  • Lists fail to account for unconventional talents—Hurts was undervalued, perhaps due to not fitting common mold.
  • Seth:

    "NFL people...they don’t know what to do in their brain with a quarterback like Jalen Hurts because he’s so far outside the mold..." (16:29)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Ranking Methodology:

  “That's why even the way you put it in the show prep annoyed me...I disagree that this NFL top 100 is any kind of reflection about how players would actually rank the top 100 players in the NFL.” – Seth (01:36)

• On Bryce Young being in the Top 100:

  “That means somebody out there ranked Bryce Young as a top 20 player in the NFL. Probably.” – Seth (01:59)

• On the Wasted Hypotheticals:

  “I can't tell you how depressing it is that I am even posing this question to the two of you.” – Sean (06:33)

• On League Indifference:

  "I just didn’t get a lot of responses on them [CJ Stroud]." – Jeremy Fowler (11:14)

• On Stroud’s Future:

  “CJ’s got some work to do, man. No doubt about that.” – Sean (14:29)

---

Key Timestamps: Segment Highlights

• 00:30 – Show opens: Sean returns, raises the Stroud/Top 100 topic.
• 01:36 – How the NFL Top 100 ballot actually works (hand-written 1–20 only).
• 02:32 – The randomness and flaws inherent in the Top 100 methodology.
• 05:28 – Bryce Young vs. C.J. Stroud: trade hypothetical.
• 07:33 – Analysis of how national voices view Stroud and the "holding pattern" on his status.
• 08:32 – ESPN positional top 10 methodology and C.J.’s slide.
• 10:22 – Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) clip: "League is indifferent to CJ Stroud."
• 11:23 – Stroud’s rank over the years and his diminishing reputation.
• 13:24 – Seth questions whether Stroud will be seen as a game manager.
• 14:45 – Hosts discuss which “best player” ranking is most credible.
• 15:51 – Dissection of Jalen Hurts’ undervaluation and lessons for unconventional QBs.

---

Bottom Line / Tone

• Wry, self-aware skepticism about the value of “Top 100”–type lists.
• Hosts are both analytical and a bit melancholy—Texans fans, feeling the letdown of Stroud’s declining reputation.
• Experts agree: The coming season is crucial for Stroud. League's lack of buzz is as concerning as outright criticism.

---

Recommended Segment for First-Time Listeners:

• 10:22–11:23: Jeremy Fowler’s ESPN insider take on why CJ Stroud is flying under the radar and what he needs to do to change the narrative.

---

Transcript

[A]

Hey there. I'm Kendra Adachi, and my show, the Lazy Genius Podcast helps you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. And you get to decide what matters. I'm not here to tell you what to do. I'm here to give you a new way to see. Episodes of the Lazy Genius podcast are full of compassionate time management tips and permission slips to do what makes sense for you. New episodes drop every Monday. Follow and listen to the Lazy Genius podcast on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[B]

All right, Pain and pender gas with you on a Thursday. Cole Thompson hanging out with us as well here. Okay, so I was gone the last couple days. I was nursing a throat issue. There's a texture that says I was conducting my own all star break. That's not true. I wasn't convinced what you hit in

[C]

the Home Run Derby at home.

[B]

I was not true.

[C]

You were seven. A six.

[B]

Trust me, I was home nursing a throat. But it gave me a lot of chance to reflect and think. And I think I've arrived at the conclusion that C.J. stroud is not going to make the NFL's top 100 this year.

[D]

What makes you think that, Sean?

[B]

Lamar Jackson. Lamar Jackson getting revealed at number 69. Nice. Yeah, nice that that happened right as you and I were going off the air on Monday, Seth.

[D]

And.

[B]

And so. So I needed time to process this. You guys know that I treated The NFL top 100 like Moses is coming down from the mountain with it carved on.

[D]

Treat it like it's the most valid thing on earth.

[B]

It's the only thing we have, you know, empirically reflects players opinions on other players.

[D]

That's why even the way you put it in the show prep annoyed me. As you said, there's no way the players think CJ is better than Lamar. I agree with that part of it. I disagree that this NFL top wondered 100 as any kind of reflection about like how players would actually rank the top 100 players in the NFL. Yeah. By virtue of Bryce Young even being on it at all. Like it just shows you that when they. The way the ballot works, they just have players sit down and they write down who they think their top 20. That means somebody out there ranked Bryce Young as a top 20 player in the NFL. Probably.

[C]

So it's only. So it's only the top 20 that they rank.

[E]

They only.

[B]

Have you ever seen the ballots?

[C]

No, I haven't.

[B]

Okay, so they. Yeah. So the NFL will post on Instagram sometimes copies of Players, ballots. They won't. They, they'll, you know, they'll, they'll smudge out their name. Oh, but they'll show it. It's literally a handwritten one through 20. You write down 20 names.

[C]

See, I just thought that was the start of their ballot. I thought they ranked all 100.

[D]

They rank, they ranked 20 players. So it ends up being especially, especially for like 50 through 100. It's, it's like, okay, if a guy gets a couple people that vote him into the top 20, then it's, then all of a sudden they might end up ranked in the back half or whatever. But it's just so, like, it's so heavily weighted and you end up with things like, okay, so somebody out there, at least one person, said that Bryce Young is a top 20 player in the NFL, which is absurd.

[B]

This is, and we'll get to C.J. here. This is, this also presumes, Seth, that this balloting, air quotes is treated as something like hard and fast. Right. They may just use it as a guideline to eventually have people with, you know, you know, the analysts opinions kind of, okay, this is what the players sort of think. And now we'll make some adjustments here to it. Who knows? But either way, I do think, I, I, and you've pointed this out, Seth, that we know that the, the balloting takes place before the playoffs. So whatever opinion players, fellow players had on CJ Stroud was based on his regular season.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

So let's just live in a world for a second here where we feel like this is, is actually maybe a somewhat accurate reflection of how players at large feel that Bryce Young belongs in the top 100 based on the regular season and that C.J. stroud, as I am currently predicting, is not in the top 100. How do we feel about basically being back to, I mean, saying you're back to square one with the two of them actually does Bryce Young a little bit of an injustice. He's the one that's actually in the top 100 at number 98.

[D]

Yeah. I think that you would go, okay, if I'm going to pretend like this isn't just all completely bogus to begin with. The, that it's, it probably most likely if, like, if, if there were any sanity to this, that, yeah. That C.J. stroud, if people think that that's where Bryce Young is, then CJ Stroud would probably have finished a little bit outside the top 100 or whatever. And, you know, like, it's heavily weighted towards quarterbacks and skill position players on the, on this list. But that's, that's probably more realistic and probably like the accurate thing, which is we are kind of back to square one with Bryce Young, where he did some promising things at the end of last season. They're. They're still like, CJ's sum total is more impressive than Bryce Young, but nobody feels awesome about either of those guys.

[B]

Right, right, right.

[D]

Other than the jackasses. Like, anybody. Like, for cj, it's going to be the same thing. Somebody. If CJ finishes ahead of Lamar Jackson, it's because probably a handful of people said, I'm going to do CJ a solid and put him in the top 20.

[B]

Yeah, probably Ohio State, guys.

[D]

Yeah. Or Nico Collins. Or Nico Collins.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Or Nico.

[C]

Maybe Joe Mixon.

[B]

Joe didn't get a vote.

[C]

Joe doesn't get a vote. Okay.

[B]

Well, no, I'm just saying he shouldn't get a vote. He didn't play in any games last year.

[C]

Lt still protects him, doesn't he?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Oh, is he going with Jared? Is he going with Jay and Daniels at that point?

[F]

Who?

[C]

Lt Larry.

[B]

Oh, he's giving CJ a bone here. Oh, cj, I thought you were talking about mixing still. Yeah, maybe. Maybe, Maybe. Okay, I'll pose this question to both of you guys. As long as we're talking about Bryce and cj, the two teams of Panthers and the Texans have conversations hypothetically, and a trade proposal gets thrown out there. Bryce Young for C.J. stroud.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Who says no?

[D]

I think the Texans say no.

[C]

I agree.

[D]

Yeah, I agree. I just, I still. When I watch Bryce Young, I just still, like, he still has a really hard time with anything over the middle of the field. If there's anything taller. Yeah, right. It's like everything has to be so perfect for him to actually, really, genuinely make it as an NFL quarterback. And I don't know if he. I don't know, like. And maybe it works out for him, but it's good. It's going to have to be that he's even. He's even. He's got a better sense of timing and rhythm than, Than Drew Brees. Like, all of these things that he's going to have to be able to do to be a genuinely good quarterback. I just have a hard time seeing it physically.

[B]

I can't tell you how depressing it is that I am even posing this question to the two of you.

[D]

Yeah, Who.

[B]

Who says no to a bre? Like, think about that. Think about after 2023.

[C]

Right.

[B]

If someone had told you. Two years from now, a topic on the show in July will be, who says no to a Bryce Young for CJ Shy I. My. My gut reaction in 2023 would have been, wow, they really got the head coaching higher right in Carolina. And Bryce has taken that leap. Not that the two of them are just sitting in this contractual purgatory, right?

[C]

Even keel playing field, but here's how you know that it would be C.J. have you. Do you guys ever pay attention to, like, offseason content redrafts of, like, 2023?

[B]

All the time.

[C]

Every single time. It's still a C.J. stroud.

[B]

Of course, he's a better player than Bryce Young.

[C]

So, like, it's like, that's not even an argument. Like, the argument that you would have at this point if you're Carolina is, do you wait it out for Caleb Williams next year and just draft Will Anderson at number one? They would 100% if they redraft. Redrafted, it would be C.J. and Will versus Bryce and C.J.

[B]

yeah. Oh, no. No question.

[D]

Yeah. I think everything this, this entire off season, I think when I would. When I listen and watch people who really, like, watch the entire league and they know what they're talking about and they watch film and everything, every one of those guys is in a holding pattern with C.J. stroud right now. And you can kind of sense that the difference between how they talk about Bryce Young and C.J. stroud is still very much that you feel like a lot of these guys want to believe in C.J. stroud, but there's just this, like, you can't ignore the actual numbers and everything else, and you can bring up the positives and you can make the explanations for his supporting cast and all of that. It just feels like this is the. This year everybody is waiting to see. All right, if the Texans actually have an okay rushing attack and the offensive line is stabilized somewhat, what do we see out of CJ Stroud then? And I think most of them feel like, all right, that's. Then he's going to look better. But I can't ignore the last two years and act like it's just been, you know, a beautiful, easy, simple path forward, forward.

[B]

So we know how you feel. Seth, about the NFL Top 100, the methodology of it, at least. Where are you on these lists that ESPN has been dropping every day of top 10 at each position, Honorable mention, and then also receiving votes in which C.J. stroud, at least it would appear he was in, also receiving votes and was the Last name.

[D]

He got one vote in the top 10.

[B]

Is that what it was?

[D]

Yeah, he was. Yeah, he was like, yeah, he was. He got one vote.

[C]

To make the list, you have to at least get one vote.

[B]

And he got one.

[D]

Jeremy Fowler. Jeremy Fowler put out basically how the all the votes voting went. Put it into tears. CJ finished behind Mac Jones.

[B]

So was it Mac Jones or Daniel Jones? It just.

[D]

Oh, Daniel Jones. Excuse me, Excuse me. I meant.

[C]

Yes, I said it was Mac Jones.

[D]

Yeah, it was Daniel Jones.

[B]

Yeah. Either way, either way, that tells you

[D]

what I think about Daniel Jones. I saw Jones and I was like, yeah, Mac Jones.

[B]

I did too. When I saw Jones, I thought Mac Jones. And then, then somebody did a follow up to and they're like, hey, even finish me on Daniel Jones.

[F]

Oh my God.

[B]

That makes sense. It makes, it doesn't make.

[D]

Thank God I didn't say it on the radio.

[E]

Sometimes historic events suck, but what shouldn't suck is learning about history. I do that through storytelling. History that doesn't Suck is a chart topping history telling podcast chronicling the epic story of America decade by decade, from the 18th century to the 20th. Original music and immersive sound design accompany us on our storytelling journey. Listen to and follow History that Doesn't Suck. An Odyssey podcast available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

[D]

No, I think that. But likewise, Jeremy Fowler did an interview on Dan Patrick and just said that he said he thinks the league is indifferent to CJ Stroud.

[B]

Yeah, we've got that. Here's Jeremy Fowler.

[F]

You know, I didn't get enough responses on CJ Stroud to get a ton of feedback because he really just wasn't a factor in the voting. But I think with Stroud, it's.

[D]

And maybe that's the point of it, that you didn't get responses. That says a lot, kind of.

[F]

I mean, honestly, I think he got one vote. I want to say it just wasn't, it wasn't a factor. But the abilities there, you know, what happened last year, especially in the playoffs, it's certainly a concern. You know, some people wonder like, okay, is that a byproduct of something that was going on behind the scenes all year or just wasn't comfortable in the offense? I know it was raining that day and New England played well, but some of the decisions were odd. It's funny though, he has a chance to be a fast riser because the, the tools and the skill set are there. And you talk about quarterbacks being able to throw over the middle of the field with accuracy. He can do some of those things where some of the quarterbacks ahead of him aren't as good. So I don't, I don't necessarily think, like, people are really down on him or he's not a starter or he's, his job's on the line. I don't feel like it's that. It's just maybe more of a little indifference. I just didn't get a lot of responses on them.

[B]

We, we should point out. We should point out CJ Stroud on this very, in this very exercise. We're not talking about NFL top 100 now. We're talking about the executives, the GMS that all voted in this ESPN thing where they're ranking the top 10 at each position. And I think today is the last day.

[C]

It's.

[B]

I think they're doing safeties today. That's it.

[C]

There is a Texan on that list.

[B]

Okay, well, good. We'll get to that in a second. I think that we should point out he was seventh on this list after his rookie year. Yeah. You know, so this isn't somebody who's come out of Ohio State, has all these tools, but his career started with the 2024 season where he's just been kind of mediocre the last couple years. He, there's evidence of him doing it in the NFL and doing it at a level where the consensus among this voting constituency, these front office people, was he's top 10 quarterback, and now he's getting one vote. I think even, I, honestly, Seth, I think even the, the one, the, the, the categorization of the league being indifferent towards CJ Stroud in conversation is more insulting than him just getting one vote in a top 10 exercise. Right?

[D]

Yeah, that part of it was depressing to me. Like, no, he's not even a factor in the discussion. It's like there's nobody, one person that voted up there feels, feels a certain kind of way about C.J. stroud. But that I, what Fowler said there, though, too, is like, okay, these things, look, they change from year to year and you're going to get like, obviously, I think that with CJ My question would be if he goes out next year and the Texans have a good season, CJ Plays better than he did last year, but it still looks like it's a team that's driven by the defense, does he kind of settle in as people, as a guy that people kind of look at like, like a. I don't know. Who's that game manager? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Game manager Smith level player. Yeah, yeah. Like a guy that can. I mean, that can do what you need him to do, but you don't ever expect them to be the driving force for. For greatness.

[C]

Well, let me ask you guys this real fast, because last year, if you saw CJ was on the list as the first name off honorable mention.

[B]

Right, Right.

[C]

So after having a down here.

[F]

Right.

[B]

So the three years that he's been part of this exercise, he's finished seventh, presumably 11th.

[C]

He was. He was the first name mentioned in the honorable mention.

[B]

So 11th.

[C]

Yeah, he was at a Baker, Gino,

[B]

all those other guys. And then he's one person away from not even showing up on there.

[C]

And he was better overall, when you think about it, stat wise.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Well, if you look at kind of. And that's exactly what is going on with Jaden Daniels right now. Because, like, Jaden Daniels is. He's 11th in the voting on this after a year where he didn't play all that well. But he was also injured and missed a bunch of time. But people are kind of looking at him is like. Or like, if you use just, if you use justice rankings, it feels the same way people were feeling about CJ going into last year. Like, all right, well, let's wait and see. You know, like, okay, second year slump or sophomore slump, all of that. So, like, if Jaden Daniel, like, so Jaden Daniels could very easily be in the top 10 next year or slide down to where CJ is right now.

[B]

Yeah, CJ's got some work to do, man. No, no doubt about that.

[D]

Now, the difference between this, this voting and The NFL top 100 is that this voting is all done after the season. Yep. So this or after the playoffs. So this is after people have seen and absorbed exactly what the hell happened in the playoffs.

[C]

Do you like one less better than the other, though?

[D]

I like. Oh, so I like the ESPN one better. Same because they're voting on a smaller pool of players, you know, and it's also people that watch more of the league. And Jeremy Fowler in that Dan Patrick interview did explain that. Like, look, there's. Sometimes there will be a GM that kind of like, wait a second, like, half your votes are your guys. Like, so he does kind of. He adjusts for it. Feels like somebody's got some bias.

[B]

Okay, so. And I. And by the way, I know I'm an NFL top 100 sycophant. We joke about it. I like the ESPN one better because It's. It's top 10 by position.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

The NFL top 100 ignores certain positions entirely.

[D]

Yeah. And gnaws interior offensive linemen. I don't think linebackers make it a whole bunch. So it all comes down to, like, that's a classic. Like, okay, what criteria are you using? It's a lot easier with quarterback.

[B]

This is the. This is where I'm the wrestling fan on the show. I like how much the players care about the NFL top 100. You know, I like the pomp and circumstance. I love the vignettes that come with it. You know, the. The three minute videos that come with it are awesome.

[C]

It's.

[B]

But it's. It's flawed for sure. Sure. It's for sure flawed.

[D]

The craziest thing about this one this year was that Jalen Hurts finished 17th. And I know exactly, like, why people feel that way and that, okay, it was an offense. An offense. It's one. It's best. It's driven by the run game. But I feel like it doesn't surprise me that these are NFL people and executives and scouts and everything that are doing this because they don't know what to do in their brain with a quarterback like Jalen Hurts because he's so far outside the mold of what most good quarterbacks are, that they. I do think they discount like. Like what impact it has when you've got a quarterback who can squat three times his body weight in short yardage situations and all of that. So, like when circum. But. But it has to be when circumstances are right. And you know, it can't. It's not going to be driven by his arm. So they don't look at him as. Okay, conventionally what I want my quarterback to do. But there's no denying that. Yeah, in the right circumstances, you can go to a couple Super Bowls and win one of them with Jalen Hurts.

[B]

All right, coming up next, speaking of the NFL GM rankings, the final position dropped today. Safety position. There are two Texans on here. Do we feel that? And they're right next to each other in these rankings. Is this particular player getting screwed by his versatility? I want to ask that question. So we'll do that. Do that. Coming up next. Stay there.

[E]

Why does it feel like nobody really gives us the inside scoop? Join us on the Powers that Be the podcast where insiders from puck break down who has influence, how they use it, and what it actually means for you. New episodes every weekday. Listen to the Powers that Be wherever you get your podcasts.