C.J. Stroud bizarrely compared to Taylor Swift and LeBron James by Kyle Long, who picks the rookie Houston Texans quarterback as his player of the season for a superb first year in NFL

CBS Sports' Kyle Long has claimed that C.J. Stroud is 'his Taylor Swift' on live T.V., as he chose the Texans quarterback as his TOPS Player of the Year this season, before Houston's game against the New York Jets on Sunday. 

Speaking on the network's 'That Other Pregame Show' hours before the matchup at MetLife Stadium, the 35-year-old, former Chicago Bears center said: 'You know, the Houston Texans have never advanced beyond the AFC Divisional Round in the playoffs and CJ Stroud, Demeco Ryan...C.J. Stroud is my name here. 

'C.J. Stroud is my Taylor Swift. He's the reason for the season. And when I first started thinking about it, I was like, he reminds me of LeBron James and how he was able to turn around the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

'And then I said, wait, this team is better. It's not just CJ Stroud, it's the guys around him. But, CJ Stroud, he's changed the culture.'

'He's given this roster a reason to get out of bed with a smile on their face every Sunday because they know they can go out there and win football games. [...] This guy, C.J. Stroud... he's done things I've never seen. He's my TOPS Player of the Year.'

The Texans (7-5) have won four of their past five and are tied with Indianapolis for second in the AFC South, one game behind Jacksonville - which could be without injured quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Sunday at Cleveland.  

Led by a rookie quarterback who has made things look pretty easy so far, Stroud knows the hard part is ahead of them.

'Really, these are the most meaningful games of the year after Thanksgiving and going into December and January,' said Stroud, the second overall pick of this year's NFL Draft. 'We've gotten off to a good start and we've just got to keep that rolling.'  

Houston's defense will go up against re-integrated Jets starting QB Zach Wilson. But, compare both signal-callers, and Stroud has the upper hand, leading the NFL with 3,540 yards passing - the third most by a player in his first 12 games.

'He's a very unique young quarterback,' Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. 'He's a guy I really wish we would've played Weeks 1 to 4 when he was still trying to figure out this game.'

Stroud also has 20 touchdown passes with just five interceptions and hasn't thrown an interception in his past two games. However, the Jets haven't allowed a 300-yard passer in 30 straight games, a stretch that includes having faced the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert and Josh Allen (twice) this season.

'For me, it's not just focused on me,' Stroud insisted. 'I take full responsibility for being the leader, but the first thing I remember coming into the building, I was talking to a couple of vets, and they were like, ''You're not in this on your own. We're right there with you, holding ourselves to the same standard you do. We're right there.''

Those conversations with defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Jonathan Greenard have helped keep Stroud even-keeled as the Texans make their run.

'That's something that takes a lot of pressure off of my back,' Stroud said. 'And even though I put that pressure right back on, like me being my hardest critic, it also helps me relax, understand I can go be aggressive.'