Fitterer Reveals Who Has 'Final Call' on Top Pick

Carolina GM discusses who ultimately gets to make the decision.

As I've said numerous times on my radio spots with WFNZ, ESPN Blacksburg, or our show Bleav in Panthers with Jonathan Stewart, David Tepper needs to let the football people make the decision on which quarterback to take with the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

And that's what is going to happen, according to GM Scott Fitterer. 

"I want to thank David and Nicole [Tepper] for all the resources they gave us in the spring. It took a lot to go out to all these Pro Days back to back to back. They really supported us. And really thank them for giving Frank and I the authority to make the decision."

Tepper has been very involved this offseason with not only the coaching search but in the draft process as well. He was even present for each of the top four quarterbacks Pro Days and spent a significant amount of time with them along with the rest of the Panthers brass to try and figure out who their guy is going to be. He may have his opinion, but at the end of the day, he's going to let his GM and head coach figure it out.

So now to the decision-makers.

Fitterer brought up an interesting note today during his press conference in that neither he nor Frank Reich has told each other who they prefer at quarterback. But when you spend time with someone so much on the road and in the building, you kind of get a sense of which way they're leaning. They're on the same page as far as what they're looking for and what type of person they want to help lead this organization. But if there is a difference of opinion, it will be between them to sort through it.

"I look at it as Frank and I will make that decision. I haven't yet asked him. But we were laughing the other day because it's becoming clear for us -- maybe a certain way that we may want to go or who it may be."

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