For recent NFL Draft picks such as Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, the immediate aftermath of being selected can be a whirlwind.
Drafted No. 1 overall by Carolina Thursday night to lead off the 2023 NFL Draft, the former Alabama star had to make his way from the podium in Kansas City to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
For Young, it had to be eye-opening to see the reception he received from Panthers fans upon arrival at the location where he’ll be playing football starting this fall.
The Panthers have been in quarterback purgatory since Cam Newton started to regress back in 2019. Since then, they have trotted out the likes of Kyle Allen, Will Grier, Teddy Bridgewater, P.J. Walker, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield as starters.
Needless to say, Panthers fans are excited about having a potential franchise quarterback to call their own. As for Young, the former Heisman winner appreciated the reception he got:
“It was surreal. To be able to see first-hand the support that this organization has. For me, being the leader, being a member of the team…to get that support from the fans, it speaks volumes. I am super grateful for all of the fans that came out (today), all the fans that came out yesterday.”
Bryce Young to reporters on the reception he received in Carolina
Bank of America Stadium was packed during a watch party as Carolina selected Young No. 1 overall Thursday evening. It’s a clear indication that there’s hunger for football in Charlotte. That is to say, good football.
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Bryce Young heads to the Carolina Panthers with real expectations
Carolina traded up from the ninth pick to No. 1 overall to land Young. The team exhausted two first-round picks, two second-round picks and Pro Bowl wide receiver D.J. Moore.
In short, Young is not coming to a Panthers team that expects to be rebuilding over the next couple seasons. The hiring of offensive-minded head coach Frank Reich months before Carolina made the decision to draft Young adds another layer to this.
With that said, Young is not foreign to the idea of high expectations. After all, he played under the legendary Nick Saban for a college football powerhouse. Pressure doesn’t get much more real than that on the gridiron.