What elite traits are the Carolina Panthers getting after making quarterback Bryce Young their No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft?
As Bryce Young gears up for his formal welcome to the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium this afternoon, a new era dawns for the organization. Many analysts believed the Alabama product was the guy, which proved to be the case when Roger Goodell formally kicked off the 2023 NFL Draft by naming the No. 1 overall pick.
While there are concerns, Young has everything one looks for in a franchise quarterback. And as head coach Frank Reich stated, when you examine the tape, he's the best.
The hard work begins shortly for Young, who'll link up with his new teammates and begin developing chemistry in readiness for a Week 1 start. Expectations will be in keeping with No. 1 picks of the past, but the prospect has the sort of character to make this gamble pay off.
Not everyone was happy, but that's life. But what cannot be disputed is these three elite traits the Panthers are getting in Young.
Elite Trait No. 1
Carolina Panthers are getting elite leadership
Bryce Young is so well-spoken, it's hard to imagine him turning into a ruthless killer between the white lines. While his small stature put some people off, this hasn't been the case with coaches and former teammates, who were all glowing in praise for the quarterback and his ability to lead from the front.
Young gets everyone on the same page, puts them in the right positions, and motivates when he feels it's needed. He's also been a fantastic ambassador for the Crimson Tide, which is something that can make a seamless transition to the Carolina Panthers beyond a doubt.
Cam Newton also recognized Young's qualities to get players "selling out" for him. Something that hasn't been seen in Carolina since the former NFL MVP was leading the charge.
Carolina Panthers are getting elite poise
Nobody had much to say negatively about Bryce Young aside from physical attributes. His height and slender frame are not typically associated with successful starting quarterbacks, with the player being even shorter than those who've come before with similar question marks such as Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, and Kyler Murray.
This didn't bother the Carolina Panthers all that much. They had no qualms about making Young their No. 1 overall selection, which came after extensive evaluations and countless hours of film study to cement the choice.
When examining Young on tape, the poise with which he plays the game is extraordinary. There is supreme confidence navigating tight pockets, which is matched by accuracy at all three levels and the rare ability to conjure up magic out of nothing when routes aren't developing as anticipated.
Young is also learning how to keep himself out of harm's way superbly. Alabama's scheme was heavily dependent on the quarterback's decision-making, which made him an extra coach of sorts on the field that Nick Saban benefitted from greatly.
Another area where Young was head and shoulders above the rest in this class is from a processing standpoint. He sees the field well, sees things developing even before they happen, and makes the correct read more often than not.
Sounds like a productive NFL quarterback to me.
Carolina Panthers are getting elite improvization
As stated previously, Bryce Young is a magician under center. While the signal-caller benefited from an elite group of wide receivers over his first season as Alabama's starter, that was far from the case last year - making his performance levels even more remarkable despite the Crimson Tide missing out on the college football playoffs.
This is proof that Young can do two things:
Do more with more.
And do more with less.
Improvisation is the keyword when examining Young's credentials. His creativity in the pocket is phenomenal, which is down to his ability to manipulate arm angles in a way that allows him to remain efficient in the face of extreme pressure.
The stats speak for themselves over his three-year college career - two of which he started:
- 65.8% completion
- 8,356 passing yards
- 9.9 air yards per attempt
- 80 touchdowns
- 12 interceptions
- 165.0 average passer efficiency rating
- 162 rushing yards
This isn't counting the game-winning drives, his 91.5 grade from Pro Football Focus last season, and his composure in the face of significant adversity. The Carolina Panthers will reap some hefty rewards if Young puts all this together in a professional environment and there is no better set-up for the player to come into after a sensational offseason of change for the franchise.
Of course, C.J. Stroud is another with outstanding qualities and few should have been moaning if he ended up being the pick. But the conviction associated with Young from true football men in Carolina performing every act with extreme professionalism cannot be called into question.