When the Carolina Panthers were looking to finally solve their problem at quarterback – which has been a thing ever since Cam Newton was injured in 2018 – they looked to make a splash move to stop their quarterback carousel. Since 2019, that revolving door has included Kyle Allen, Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and PJ Walker.
In order to get their choice of quarterbacks in the 2023 draft, the Panthers traded four picks and wide receiver DJ Moore to move up to No. 1 to draft Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. A two-year starter at Alabama, who threw for 8,200 yards and 79 touchdowns in that span, there is no questioning Young’s ability. The biggest concern is something he can’t control – his lack of prototypical quarterback size.
At just 5-foot-10, 204 pounds, Young is setting records that aren’t viewed as positives. In the modern era of the NFL, there have only been two long-term starting quarterbacks who were under 6-foot tall – Russell Wilson (5-foot-11) and Doug Flutie (5-foot-10). Young comes to the NFL with a big hurdle to overcome, but the Panthers clearly believe his talent outshines his height impediment.
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What has made Young rise to the top of college quarterbacks – he won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 – is that he is arguably one of the smartest and most instinctive quarterbacks to come out of the college game in years. He quickly processes plays as they develop and rarely throws a pass that doesn’t give his receiver an advantage. NFL scouts and front office personnel have raved about his ability to read, diagnose, react and process what is happening in front of him.
The Panthers hedged their bet in the offseason, despite knowing they planned to take a quarterback in the draft – even before the Chicago Bears accepted the king’s ransom offered to move up. The team signed veteran Andy Dalton to serve as a mentor and an insurance policy in the event new head coach Frank Reich doesn’t believe Young will be ready to start in Week 1.
To date, that hasn’t been an issue. There have been nothing but rave reviews of Young’s ability to absorb the playbook and understand the nuances that come with each play called. His vision and instincts have wowed the Panthers coaching staff, and his intangibles have many in the organization believing that he can be in Carolina what Wilson was in Seattle – an immediate starter, an elite game manager and, eventually, a Super Bowl champion.
One major concern is the lack of prolific weapons for Young. Carolina revamped its receiving corps, landing Adam Thielen as the WR1. He’s in obvious decline athletically and comes with minor injury concerns. The rest of the presumed starting cast figures to be rounded out by oft-injured DJ Chark Jr. and to-date, second-round bust Terrace Marshall Jr. Rookie Jonathan Mingo will work to make his presence felt, too. TE Hayden Hurst is serviceable but is hardly a game-changing player at his position.
Fantasy football outlook
Most quarterback fantasy rankings and ADP have Young rated in the mid-20s, which wouldn’t have him drafted leagues with less than 12 players. Currently, his value is much higher in leagues where players can be carried over from one year to the next.
The bust rate for quarterbacks taken high in drafts has been significant. Carolina has employed two of them (Mayfield and Darnold) after both washed out with the teams that drafted them. The argument will remain that Young will struggle to see over much larger players in front of him or absorb the punishment quarterbacks take, but his intelligence and ability to extend plays will lead to success. He’s a reach to draft as a rookie, but his upside is incredible, and he could be a last-round QB2 steal if he and Reich get on the same page early.
