Kansas City, Missouri.- Bryce Young’s talent outweighed concerns about his size.
The Carolina Panthers selected the lean, dynamic quarterback from Alabama with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft tonight, seven weeks after making a successful trade with Chicago to move up and get their pick of potential franchise players. .
The Panthers chose the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner over Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis. New coach Frank Reich said earlier in the week that the organization reached a consensus Monday after several weeks of deliberation.
A dual-threat playmaker with a strong arm and an elite combination of instincts and intelligence, Young also possesses the intangibles and traits coaches desire, including leadership abilities and a strong work ethic.
But the biggest question about Young is his size. He stood at 5-foot-10 1/8 and weighed in at 204 pounds at the combine. Although he dominated the SEC, some scouts and coaches fear Young won’t be able to physically withstand all the beatings in the NFL.
The Panthers couldn’t let go of his superior abilities.
Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, is the only other QB since 2003 to be selected in the first round after weighing in at 207 pounds or less at the combine.
“I am confident in my abilities,” Young said Wednesday. “I don’t know how to play the game any other way. I’ve been this size relative to the people around me my entire life. I focus on what I control and I can’t grow. That doesn’t fall into that category. I can’t be taller. I focus on myself. I am confident in myself with what I have been able to do and I am excited about the work it is going to take.”
The Panthers have searched for an answer at quarterback since trading Cam Newton, who was the first overall pick in 2011 and the NFL MVP in 2015 when he led the Panthers to a 15-1 record and one appearance. in the Super Bowl.
Young had a spectacular career at Alabama and the Panthers hope he can present the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy. He played in a pro-style offense under offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, the former Texans head coach who returned to the NFL to run New England’s offense.
Young passed for 4,872 yards with 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his first season starting as a sophomore in 2021. Last season, he had 3,328 passing yards with 32 TDs and five interceptions while playing with a new supporting cast.
