IE childhood friends set to face off Sunday

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ❯❯ C.J. Stroud hasn't forgotten the first time he faced off against Bryce Young on the football field as an eighth grader on a rainy afternoon in Fontana, California.

Young's Inland Empire Ducks defeated Stroud's Pomona Steelers in an all-star exhibition.

“They killed us terribly,” Stroud said. “He had a really good game. I played terrible.”

On Sunday, Young's Carolina Panthers will host Stroud's upstart Houston Texans as this year's top two NFL draft picks and close friends meet again.

That initial youth middle school game nearly a decade ago was the first of several meetings in the sports arena, as they competed in 7-on-7 football games and on the basketball court on the travel ball circuit. They developed a mutual respect and close friendship along the way, supporting each other at quarterback camps before Young headed off to Alabama and Stroud to Ohio State.

They quietly rooted for one another's success in college and leaned on each other during the grueling NFL draft process, which ultimately saw Young go No. 1 overall and Stroud second.

“It's a blessing to have a brother like that to go through the same type of struggle, same type of pressures — things like that,” said Stroud, who played in high school at Rancho Cucamonga. “We talk a lot about that stuff in the offseason and things like that, so it's a blessing to have someone like that in my life.”

Young, who played his high school ball at Mater Dei, said the fact they went on to become the top two picks is “surreal.”

“There's never going to be a time that I'm not rooting for C.J., I guess outside of obviously this weekend,” Young said with a laugh. “I don't want to speak for CJ., but I think he feels the same way. We just both want what's best for each other. We both want each other to be successful.”

So far, Stroud has experienced more success at the NFL level. He has the 10thbest quarterback rating in the league with nine touchdown passes and only one interception as the Texans (33) appear on their way to respectability.

Young is 0-5 as a starter for the struggling Panthers, and his QB rating is 29th in league.