After weeks of speculation, the Carolina Panthers made Alabama star Bryce Young the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Heading into the offseason, the Carolina Panthers had one primary goal: Get new head coach Franch Reich a young signal-caller to develop and turn into their next franchise quarterback. The organization made the first steps toward that in March when they acquired the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft from the Chicago Bears in a blockbuster trade.
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On Thursday night, they finished their two-month journey to find the new leader of their offense when they selected Alabama Crimson Tide talent Bryce Young with the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Now, the hard work of turning the 21-year-old into a franchise quarterback begins. With Bryce Young officially a member of the Carolina Panthers roster, let’s take a look at the strengths in his game and the reasons why some have doubts he can reach the heights of former Panthers franchise QB and 2011 No. 1 overall pick, Cam Newton.
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Simply put, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner has the “it” factor and after-the-snap capabilities that coaches and coordinators love in the modern NFL quarterback. The Philadelphia native has a swagger that is well beyond his years and it brought a calm confidence to the Crimson Tide huddle over the last two years, to where they never felt they were out of a game. And his esteemed record of comeback wins proved it.
Beyond his borderline cocky leadership skills, he was outstanding at extending plays during his torrid run in the toughest conference in college football, the SEC. Yet, not only did he have the legs to extend plays, but he is smart with the ball, doesn’t force bad throws, and was a sniper on the run and with defenders closing in on him.
It is a skill set that makes him a perfect fit for how the game is played today and should give him a strong chance to exceed right out of the gates when he goes through the learning curve of making reads in the NFL and building chemistry with his receivers.
If you have been under a rock and not paying attention to draft coverage over the last two months, Bryce Young’s small frame has made many talent evaluators worried. His (alleged) six-foot and near 200-pound frame isn’t bad for a normal person, but many scouts feel he is not built to deal with the physical rigors of the NFL.
In comparison, Patrick Mahomes (6-foot-2, 225-pounds), Jalen Hurts (6-foot-1, 223-pounds), Justin Fields (6-foot-3, 228-pounds), and Tua Tagovailoa (6-foot-1, 217-pounds) are not seen as big players at the position, however, they are all larger than the Alabama standout. Two of those players missed significant time in 2022 with injuries.
Beyond the issues with his size, there are also concerns about Young being able to make all the throws necessary. A recent report suggested he could struggle to make certain deep and difficult passes in the NFL. Plus, there are concerns about his footwork. On occasion, his feet can be too active which affects his passing mechanics.
Bryce Young’s mechanical issues can be worked on and fixed by the Carolina Panthers coaching staff, however, the team will need to put in the work to add some weight to his frame and he will also have to learn quickly that sliding will be one of his most useful tools in the NFL.