Following the Panthers’ massive trade to land the No. 1 overall pick from the Chicago Bears, Carolina selected its franchise quarterback. Alabama’s Bryce Young was the Panthers’ guy once the dust settled.
As a consensus five-star prospect coming out of high school, Young lived up to the hype and took care of business efficiently while at Alabama. His final year saw a 64.5 completion, going 245 of 380 for 3,328 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. A collegiate career touchdown to interception ratio of 20-to-3 exemplifies the well-roundedness that led to Carolina trading up to No. 1 to ensure they got him.
Veteran NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein comps Young to Drew Brees, which unfortunately has been becoming cliché when trying to say that a sub-6’1″ quarterback is going to be successful in the league. At 5’10” and 204 pounds, Bryce not only has size concerns to overcome on his new team but plenty of question marks on his new offense as well.
QUICK 2023 FANTASY OUTLOOK
The Panthers need to make use of their second (39) and third-round (93) picks to provide Young with some weapons to bolster a pass-catching room led by Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, and Hayden Hurst. If not, 2023 could be a tough year for the rookie quarterback. Yet, with issues on both sides of the ball, Carolina is not a lock to prioritize more offensive receiving weapons. Still, Young’s Drew Brees-like composure and humility can help ensure a productive career as Carolina continues to build the next few seasons. His dynasty upside remains high due to his skill set, but his re-draft will be a question mark.
WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS
“Overall, Young is a size outlier (he will be the smallest quarterback in the NFL the moment he is drafted) with average arm power, but he is a natural passer with an instinctive feel for throw location and play extension. Despite limited physical traits, he has the high-end intangibles and talent required to be an impact starter,” wrote Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
