Panthers select Alabama QB Bryce Young with first overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft

The Panthers have found their future face of the franchise.

Carolina selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft.

The Panthers acquired the first overall pick in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears in March. The decision to trade up to the top pick allowed the Panthers to zero in on their top choice at quarterback, and ultimately, Young was the final target.

Young — who was born in Philadelphia but raised in Pasadena, California — is the first Alabama player and 27th quarterback to be selected with the first overall pick since 1967.

The 2021 Heisman trophy winner is coming off a stellar run with the Crimson Tide.

The 5-foot-10, 204-pound quarterback overcame his small stature to become one of the best college football players in recent memory. The Panthers are clearly hoping that success transfers over to the NFL seamlessly.

During his three-year tenure at Alabama, Young completed 65.8% of his passes for 8,356 yards, 80 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also ran for 162 yards and seven touchdowns during his college career.

Given his diminutive frame for an NFL quarterback, Young has faced questions about his long-term durability and vision during the draft process. However, during his run with Alabama, he missed just one game due to injury. He also has a high release with his throwing motion, which has helped him avoid batted balls relative to the rate of most shorter quarterbacks.

Young has drawn comparisons to Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees in the past few months. Like Brees, Young’s one glaring weakness is his size at the position. However, Brees — listed as 6-foot and 209 pounds — was able to overcome his lack of ideal size and throw for 80,358 yards and 571 touchdowns during his 20-year NFL career. If Young can accomplish half of what Brees did during his career, he will be considered a worthwhile selection.

Young, the Panthers’ second first overall pick, will look to bring the Carolina franchise back to relevancy. Cam Newton, a fellow first overall pick and former NFL MVP, was the last Panthers quarterback deemed worthy of the “face of the franchise” label.

Since Newton’s initial stint ended in 2020, the Panthers have withstood a turnstile at the position. Young’s selection is meant to bring an end to the mediocre quarterback merry-go-round that featured the likes of Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield during the past three seasons.

Young will enter a quarterback-friendly ecosystem in Charlotte. Head coach Frank Reich, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, passing game coordinator Parks Frazier and senior assistant Jim Caldwell will put their collective minds together to develop Young. With the help of those “QB gurus,” Young will be expected to step up early in his Carolina tenure and lead the offense.

Along with a notable staff guiding the way, Young will also be able to rely on the experience and leadership of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. The Panthers signed Dalton to serve as a bridge signal-caller until Young is ready to take control. That timeline is likely open-ended, as the Panthers will want to see how Young handles the offseason program and training camp before pushing him into battle.

At the moment, Young has a quartet of veteran weapons to lean on as well. The Panthers signed tight end Hayden Hurst, running back Miles Sanders and wide receivers Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark in free agency to serve as experienced playmakers for the rookie quarterback.

Young will also have an established offensive line in front of him, even as starting right guard Austin Corbett recovers from offseason ACL surgery.

Following the first overall selection of Young, the Panthers have five remaining draft picks over the next two days. Carolina will have the No. 39 selection in the second round and No. 93 selection (from the San Francisco 49ers) in the third round on Friday. The team also owns two fourth-round picks and a fifth-round pick on Saturday.

The Panthers are expected to focus on building up their new-look 3-4 defense during draft weekend. Carolina could also choose to add more weapons to the offense to help Young now and in the future.

This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 8:19 PM.

Mike Kaye

The Charlotte Observer

Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription