C.J. Stroud is considered one of the top picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. But now rumors are causing plenty of buzz around the talented quarterback.

The nervousness rises immensely before a draft. Among the teams hunting for the best talent in the country and preparing intensively for the event in Kansas City (April 27-29). And, of course, among the prospects, for whom their careers and, of course, a lot of money are at stake.

Rumors or reports of possible misconduct can sometimes have major consequences. C.J. Stroud is currently experiencing just how crazy things can get before the talent draft. The quarterback has been a potential top pick for weeks, and he should normally be one of the first players off the board.

However, on a CBS Sports podcast, former quarterback Brady Quinn said Stroud committed to the “Manning Passing Academy” last year, but then just didn’t show up. The event was founded by Archie Manning and has been in existence since 1996, so attending is definitely an honor.

“This is no way to behave “

And Quinn went on to emphasize how such a thing plays out. “That’s football royalty. And when you do something like that, it’s going to set off alarms in people: ‘Hey man, you don’t act like that, especially with the Manning family or in general if you want to be a franchise quarterback.'”

In addition to physical traits, character traits also play an important role for teams when evaluating talent. Unreliability is not looked upon favorably, and such a history could ensure Stroud falls on draft day.

But now former safety Ryan Clark has weighed in, denying Quinn’s claims. “Stroud never committed to attending the Manning camp. He instead chose to work with his teammates at Ohio State before his final season,” Clark said, harshly criticizing Quinn.

This is an example of analyst like @Brady_Quinn telling stories of 0 value to diminish a man’s character while validating his own. Instead of dissecting film, or speaking to coaches an adult man stooped to gossip while analyzing. It’s an immature evaluation of football integrity https://t.co/3ijng1787q

– Ryan Clark (@realrclark25) April 20, 2023

This is an example of an analyst telling stories of zero value to disparage a man’s character while validating his own, Clark raged. “Instead of analyzing film or talking to coaches, he’s pandering to gossip.” Quinn, in turn, explained that he “gave a few examples of what I’ve been told. “

The problem: Are the rumors true? A list of attendees suggests that Stroud was indeed signed up.

Here are the college quarterbacks participating in the Manning Passing Challenge this year.

Some good prospects among them pic.twitter.com/T3W2GDD9P9

– Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) June 21, 2022

Whether he simply didn’t show up, whether he canceled true to form, and whether and what impact the story will have on him remains unclear.

It is, however, a fine example of how much nervousness builds before a draft.