Carolina Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Preaching patience

Carolina Panthers select Bryce Young

• Quarterback | Alabama Crimson Tide

We get it, the chances of Bryce Young making it this far down the pecking order are remote. But the simulator provided the Carolina Panthers with an opportunity they’d be foolish to pass up.

Young comes into the 2023 NFL Draft with the best credentials of any quarterback prospect. The Heisman Trophy winner has franchise signal-caller written all over him, boasting the poise, accuracy, and playmaking ability that should transition well to a professional environment.

One thing that’s working against Young is his size. This will be a big talking point throughout the evaluation process and might end up hurting his stock slightly when push comes to shove.

This isn’t the biggest concern given the current trend of smaller quarterbacks thriving at the next level. However, one only has to look at the recent injury to Kyler Murray as an example of how things can unravel quickly.

If Young, C.J. Stroud, or even Will Levis make it out of the top five, then the Panthers might want to explore a trade-up to finally secure a long-term plan under center. Something that was sorely lacking during the Matt Rhule era.

Looking at the college production, Young is the best signal-caller in this class. But teams don’t usually select prospects based on what they’ve done, it’s more on what they could be.

Young has everything. And if the Panthers get the chance to bring him on board, they shouldn’t hesitate.