Is C.J. Stroud’s dad still in prison? Exploring the tragic childhood of top 2023 NFL draft prospect

C.J. Stroud, the quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes, is the son of Kimberly Stroud and Coleridge Bernard Stroud III. His dad and mom are from California. Stroud is the youngest of three siblings. Coleridge Bernard Stroud was his given identify at beginning.

Not like most elite QB prospects, C.J. Stroud’s upbringing was drastically altered when he was simply 13 and realized that his father was going to jail.

Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, Stroud’s dad, is incarcerated in California on a 38-year time period. In 2015, he pleaded responsible to misdemeanor, theft, abduction and carjacking counts. All the household suffered monetary devastation attributable to Coleridge’s imprisonment, and his bond together with his son was damaged.

The occasion threw Stroud’s family into disarray. Because the youngest of 4 kids, he accomplished his years of highschool in a tiny condo over a storage compartment. The household got here near shedding their dwelling on a number of events.

Though Stroud’s dad remains to be in search of an early launch, jail information present that he will not be certified for parole for not less than one other 17 years, when he could be 70. Though they convey on the cellphone, Stroud has not met his dad in particular person since 2014.

“My pops, he was my finest buddy. To have your finest buddy snatched up like that was terrible,” Stroud told reporters. “I solely concentrate on the nice issues my father did, however I wasn’t like that for some time. I genuinely resented my dad. Man, how may you abandon me in such a approach?”

C.J. Stroud has since developed right into a gifted quarterback

C.J. Stroud performed soccer whereas attending Rancho Cucamonga Excessive College. He handed for 3,878 yards and 47 TDs as a senior, successful offensive participant of the 12 months honors from the Inland Valley Day by day Bulletin. He entered Ohio State in 2020 because the No. 2 pro-style QB within the nation, a top-50 total participant and a five-star expertise.

C.J. Stroud has numerous record-setting performances for Ohio State, equivalent to his 573-throwing yards in a single-game efficiency. In 2019, he was the Elite 11 MVP. In 2020, he was chosen for the All-American Bowl.

In 2021, Stroud was a Heisman Trophy finalist. And he went into 2022 as one of many best faculty soccer gamers.

After guiding Ohio State to an 11-1 regular-season file and a berth within the Faculty Soccer Playoff in 2022, Stroud got here in third in Heisman Trophy voting. He concluded the 12 months with an FBS-best 9.5 yards per try, six interceptions and 41 landing passes.