4 critical observations from the Carolina Panthers 2023 NFL Draft

Carolina Panthers go all-in on Bryce Young

There was so much pre-draft conversation after the acquisition of the No. 1 pick about who would have the ultimate say in the selection, what would happen if there wasn’t a consensus, and who would the pick be.

Transformational quarterback prospect Bryce Young apparently helped streamline that line of questioning for everyone involved.

In a recent article by Joe Person for The Athletic, the writer recalls general manager Scott Fitterer sharing how area scout Robert Haines, who also was the lead scout involved with the drafting of Luke Kuechly and Jaycee Horn, returned from a 2021 trip down to Tuscaloosa with a ringing endorsement for the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.

There was speculation pointing to the franchise's owner, David Tepper, being a major proponent for bringing Young to Carolina almost as soon as the trade went down. Quite literally putting his money where his mouth was.

With the owner, general manager, and scouting department sharing the preference for Young, new head coach Frank Reich was the final domino to fall. And, as he said, it wasn’t a difficult decision to come to:

"You just watch the tape. There was a lot said about the size. At the end of the day, there’s a lot of factors that go into it. But we’re coaches. We’re scouts. We watch the tape. And when you watch the tape, Bryce Young’s the best player."

- Frank Reich via American Football Int

Now that we know with certainty that this wasn’t a decision made hastily or with any kind of meddling or pressure from a single party, we all should feel supremely confident that the Panthers got their franchise signal caller to lead the team for years to come.