The Extra Down: MJ Stroud's Steady Climb to the Top
10/14/2026 10:00:00 AM | Football
STATESBORO – For fifth-year outside linebacker MJ Stroud, becoming a defensive force at Georgia Southern began with a position change he never expected to make.
Growing up, Stroud wanted to play offense. As a receiver and tight end at Alcovy High School, his focus was on making plays and scoring touchdowns.Â
But as his high school team searched for ways to win, Stroud was asked to move to the defensive side of the ball. He embraced the opportunity, transitioning to defensive end toward the end of his junior year and continuing into his senior season.Â
What began as a decision to help his team soon became the start of his collegiate football career.
"I never wanted to play defense," Stroud said. "When I was growing up, I just always wanted to score touchdowns, but my team needed me to win games when we were in high school, so I did whatever they asked me to do. I played defense, ended up being really good at it, and I just stuck with it."
As he attended camps and began receiving college offers, Stroud realized football could take him beyond high school.Â
Georgia Southern ultimately stood out, not only because of the coaches' consistent interest throughout his recruitment, but also because of the family atmosphere he found in the program.
"My family and I are really close, so I wanted to go somewhere that had that same family feeling to it," Stroud said.
That connection helped bring Stroud to Statesboro, where he quickly learned that succeeding at the next level would require more than the physical tools that had carried him through high school.
The transition to college football presented a steep learning curve.Â
Defensive schemes became more complex, calls carried different responsibilities, and understanding blocking techniques and footwork required a level of detail he had not previously experienced.
"I really had to relearn how to play football," Stroud said.
Rather than allowing those challenges to define his early college career, Stroud leaned on the veterans in the defensive end room.Â
Older teammates took him under their wings, helping him understand what he was capable of becoming and encouraging him to put in the work necessary to reach that potential.
Their guidance helped shape his approach during his first two seasons.Â
After redshirting in 2022, Stroud continued learning, earning more opportunities on the field and preparing for the moment when his number would be called.
The message from those veterans remained consistent: be ready when your opportunity comes.
"It was really a learning curve for me because I had usually just always played," Stroud said. "It was really just listening to the older guys. They told me my time was going to come, and every opportunity I got, I needed to take full advantage of it because you never know when it's actually going to be your time to go out there and make plays."
Stroud's patience began to pay off.Â
After gradually working his way into the rotation, he earned his first collegiate start late in the 2023 season against Appalachian State. He continued to expand his role in 2024, starting six games, before emerging as one of the Eagles' most productive defenders in 2025.
In his fourth season with the program, Stroud started the final five games of the 2025 campaign and recorded 33 tackles, including a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He also led Georgia Southern with three forced fumbles, earning first-team All-Sun Belt Conference recognition.
The production reflected years of development, but Stroud's growth extended beyond the stat sheet.Â
As one of the older players in the defensive room, he has embraced a leadership role shaped by the same guidance that helped him find his footing in college football.
Stroud does not necessarily lead by trying to rally a room full of teammates. Instead, he prefers to work individually with younger players, identifying areas where they can improve and offering small adjustments to help them develop their skills.
"It's more so I'll take probably one or two guys and really just build onto what they already have," Stroud said. "If I see they're struggling in a certain area, I'll tell them, 'Hey, if you do this just a little bit longer, it'll help you get this move that you want accomplished.' It's more so guiding instead of really telling them how they should be doing things."
It is a leadership style rooted in experience.Â
Stroud understands what it feels like to enter a new environment, face a steep learning curve and depend on others to help him navigate the process. Now, he has the opportunity to provide that same support for the next generation of Eagles.
His early years also provided a few lessons he learned the hard way.Â
During his freshman season, while playing special teams against Coastal Carolina, Stroud experienced his "Welcome to College Football" moment unlike anything he had encountered in high school.
"I had to run down a kickoff a couple times," Stroud said. "I've never in my life been double-teamed as much as I was then. It was like grown men. It was one of the worst days of my life, for sure."
The moment offered an early reminder of the physical demands of college football and the adjustments required to compete at the highest level. Since then, Stroud has continued to develop into a dependable presence on the Eagles' defense.
His commitment to Georgia Southern has also extended beyond the field. After briefly entering the transfer portal following the 2025 season, Stroud ultimately decided to remain in Statesboro.Â
For him, the decision was about more than football. It was about the relationships he had built and the reputation he had established within the community.
"Through my time here, I've created a brand for myself, and I've made kind of a name for myself in this community," Stroud said. "I feel like leaving that behind and just trying to start over somewhere else in a year was just a bad decision for me in general and for who I wanted to be remembered as."
That decision allowed Stroud to continue building on the foundation he had established throughout his Georgia Southern career.Â
Now a fifth-year Eagle, he enters the season as an experienced defender and a leader who understands the importance of investing in the people around him.
Â
Growing up, Stroud wanted to play offense. As a receiver and tight end at Alcovy High School, his focus was on making plays and scoring touchdowns.Â
But as his high school team searched for ways to win, Stroud was asked to move to the defensive side of the ball. He embraced the opportunity, transitioning to defensive end toward the end of his junior year and continuing into his senior season.Â
What began as a decision to help his team soon became the start of his collegiate football career.
"I never wanted to play defense," Stroud said. "When I was growing up, I just always wanted to score touchdowns, but my team needed me to win games when we were in high school, so I did whatever they asked me to do. I played defense, ended up being really good at it, and I just stuck with it."
As he attended camps and began receiving college offers, Stroud realized football could take him beyond high school.Â
Georgia Southern ultimately stood out, not only because of the coaches' consistent interest throughout his recruitment, but also because of the family atmosphere he found in the program.
"My family and I are really close, so I wanted to go somewhere that had that same family feeling to it," Stroud said.
That connection helped bring Stroud to Statesboro, where he quickly learned that succeeding at the next level would require more than the physical tools that had carried him through high school.
The transition to college football presented a steep learning curve.Â
Defensive schemes became more complex, calls carried different responsibilities, and understanding blocking techniques and footwork required a level of detail he had not previously experienced.
"I really had to relearn how to play football," Stroud said.
Rather than allowing those challenges to define his early college career, Stroud leaned on the veterans in the defensive end room.Â
Older teammates took him under their wings, helping him understand what he was capable of becoming and encouraging him to put in the work necessary to reach that potential.
Their guidance helped shape his approach during his first two seasons.Â
After redshirting in 2022, Stroud continued learning, earning more opportunities on the field and preparing for the moment when his number would be called.
The message from those veterans remained consistent: be ready when your opportunity comes.
"It was really a learning curve for me because I had usually just always played," Stroud said. "It was really just listening to the older guys. They told me my time was going to come, and every opportunity I got, I needed to take full advantage of it because you never know when it's actually going to be your time to go out there and make plays."
Stroud's patience began to pay off.Â
After gradually working his way into the rotation, he earned his first collegiate start late in the 2023 season against Appalachian State. He continued to expand his role in 2024, starting six games, before emerging as one of the Eagles' most productive defenders in 2025.
In his fourth season with the program, Stroud started the final five games of the 2025 campaign and recorded 33 tackles, including a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He also led Georgia Southern with three forced fumbles, earning first-team All-Sun Belt Conference recognition.
The production reflected years of development, but Stroud's growth extended beyond the stat sheet.Â
As one of the older players in the defensive room, he has embraced a leadership role shaped by the same guidance that helped him find his footing in college football.
Stroud does not necessarily lead by trying to rally a room full of teammates. Instead, he prefers to work individually with younger players, identifying areas where they can improve and offering small adjustments to help them develop their skills.
"It's more so I'll take probably one or two guys and really just build onto what they already have," Stroud said. "If I see they're struggling in a certain area, I'll tell them, 'Hey, if you do this just a little bit longer, it'll help you get this move that you want accomplished.' It's more so guiding instead of really telling them how they should be doing things."
It is a leadership style rooted in experience.Â
Stroud understands what it feels like to enter a new environment, face a steep learning curve and depend on others to help him navigate the process. Now, he has the opportunity to provide that same support for the next generation of Eagles.
His early years also provided a few lessons he learned the hard way.Â
During his freshman season, while playing special teams against Coastal Carolina, Stroud experienced his "Welcome to College Football" moment unlike anything he had encountered in high school.
"I had to run down a kickoff a couple times," Stroud said. "I've never in my life been double-teamed as much as I was then. It was like grown men. It was one of the worst days of my life, for sure."
The moment offered an early reminder of the physical demands of college football and the adjustments required to compete at the highest level. Since then, Stroud has continued to develop into a dependable presence on the Eagles' defense.
His commitment to Georgia Southern has also extended beyond the field. After briefly entering the transfer portal following the 2025 season, Stroud ultimately decided to remain in Statesboro.Â
For him, the decision was about more than football. It was about the relationships he had built and the reputation he had established within the community.
"Through my time here, I've created a brand for myself, and I've made kind of a name for myself in this community," Stroud said. "I feel like leaving that behind and just trying to start over somewhere else in a year was just a bad decision for me in general and for who I wanted to be remembered as."
That decision allowed Stroud to continue building on the foundation he had established throughout his Georgia Southern career.Â
Now a fifth-year Eagle, he enters the season as an experienced defender and a leader who understands the importance of investing in the people around him.
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