Now that the NFL Combine has wrapped up, draft boards are taking shape, yet there’s still a sense that Alabama’s Bryce Young is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick. While others, like Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Florida’s Anthony Richardson, shined during Scouting Combine drills, Young entered the week as the top prospect, and he did nothing to diminish his value.
All Young did was simply show up to the NFL Combine, but that was enough, as what many wanted to see was his measurables. Coming in at 5-foot-10 1/8 at 204 pounds, Young at least matched Kyler Murray‘s size, which would seem to be an indication that he deserves merit for the No. 1 pick, as Murray did in 2019.
NBC Sports’ Peter King had a chance to speak with several top NFL decision-makers, including one anonymous general manager of a team in need of a QB who didn’t hesitate to share his opinion on Young.
“Young is the most pro-ready, we think,” said one GM whose team has a quarterback need. “But he doesn’t have one premier trait. He’s very good at a lot of things, but obviously he’s small.”
Anonymous NFL GM on Bryce Young
This GM didn’t exactly share any breaking news. Most would agree that he’s the most pro-ready, with size being the biggest concern for many. Yet, what stood out to us, was the idea that Young doesn’t have even “one premier trait.”
We often hear about teams drafting not based on how much a player can help them immediately but more so about how high the player’s ceiling is, as well as his odds of actually reaching it. That doesn’t seem to be the case, based on this GM’s notes. While Young may be the most pro-ready, will he ultimately be the best? That’s the question analysts will have to continue sifting through up until draft day.
With a few other top contenders gaining steam, such as Stroud and Richardson, maybe Young’s stance as the potential No. 1 overall pick isn’t set in stone yet. Then again, that could largely depend on who ends up trading for the top pick.
