Bryce Young vs. C.J. Stroud: Who is the better prospect for the Panthers?

Carolina Panthers must consider college production

Pro days and NFL Scouting Combine results are great for confirming if the incoming athletes are as speedy or strong as the tape says. But nothing beats the actual film itself.

Overall, I genuinely believe that if a player doesn’t show good traits or potential in college then they most likely won’t reach NFL stardom. It is important to see where the players come from, how they’ve improved over their college careers, and what skills can translate to the next level.

For Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, the two young gunslingers lit it up in college.

Young’s resume is very impressive and in my opinion, he’s one of the best college quarterbacks to never secure a national championship. He ranks second all-time in career passing yards and passing touchdowns in Alabama program history and holds the single-season records for each.

In 2021, the signal-caller became the first quarterback in school history to win the Heisman Trophy and swept all the major awards by adding the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, and Manning Awards to his trophy case. Young was also named first-team All-American by AP the same year and led his team to a runner-up finish in the college football playoff.

Young added a Sugar Bowl MVP to his historic career.

Stroud also had a great career with the Ohio State Buckeyes, including a college football playoff appearance in 2022. He holds numerous Big Ten and school records including single-season passing yards and career passing efficiency.

The prospect also holds a plethora of Rose Bowl single-game records including total yards, touchdowns, and points responsible for acquiring. Stroud finished as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in both of his seasons as a starter and was named first-team All-Big Ten the past two years. In 2021, the signal-caller was named AP third-team All-American. 

With both quarterbacks having impressive resumes and only being part of four team losses each over two years, this round is close. However, with the much-coveted Heisman Trophy in his bag, Young had a better college career, but how much weight the Carolina Panthers give to this remains to be seen.