With the 2023 NFL draft upon us, fans are ready to see where college superstars will begin their professional careers. For Alabama fans, there will be many players drafted over the three days and seven rounds, with a handful being taken off the board in the first round. One player could be the first overall selection, quarterback Bryce Young.
Young could make history in more ways than one. In the common draft era, Alabama has not yet had a player be selected first overall. However, Young could make NFL draft history on Thursday just by being drafted in the first round.
According to ESPN, which searched back to 1999, there have only been three quarterbacks under six-feet tall to be drafted on Day 1. As for his weight, Young would be the lightest first-round quarterback ever.
“If you pick him, you are saying that he’s the outlier in the history of the league,” said a veteran NFL executive to ESPN. “Kyler Murray was that size, but a little sturdier built and ran low 4.4s. [Young is] an awesome player and awesome kid, but you are saying that the guy is the one outlier in the history of the league.”
Young’s size has been a major talking point since the offseason began. What’s interesting to note, though, is that the only concern regarding Young doesn’t have to do with his abilities, arm strength, or level of play. It’s almost as if the masses needed to find something to knock him down a few points.
Nevertheless, size is an important consideration. However, it needs to be weighted alongside all other facets of his game.
Young isn’t expected to have to wait around very long, as the Carolina Panthers seem ready to use the first pick of the draft to land the 2021 Heisman winner.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Young and other former Alabama players preparing for the 2023 NFL draft.
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