Getting to Know Bryce Young: Q&A with Bama Central's Hunter De Siver

A little insight on the Panthers' top pick.

With the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

To get a little insight on the new Panthers signal caller, I caught up with Hunter De Siver of Bama Central on FanNation/Sports Illustrated.

1. What’s the biggest area of growth you’ve seen from Bryce on the field since he first arrived?

Pocket awareness. Young was listed as a dual threat coming out of high school and ran the ball fairly often throughout his first few games at Alabama. However, as the weeks went by, Young learned to scramble outside of the pocket to find the open man downfield. His mobility in the pocket to evade sacks has also greatly improved.

2. How did he respond to taking big hits and what does he do to avoid them?

Young was rarely off the field during his two years as the starter at Alabama, despite his heavily critiqued size. When taken down, he’s quick to get up and huddle up his offense. He avoids these big hits with his mobility in and outside and effectively communicates with receivers to run a different route mid-play.

3. How does he handle big moments? 

Throughout his Heisman Trophy campaign in 2021, analysts and the CFB community have gazed at Young’s ability to perform in the clutch. He’s cool, calm, and collected in the most nerve-racking moments. If he’s in a close game and has to run a two-minute drill, he’ll win the game far more often than not.

4. How is Bryce as a person/how do his teammates respond to him?

The rest of the Crimson Tide football team has mentioned dozens of times how smart Young is and how he’s an excellent leader. This quote from former Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams should tell you everything you need to know about the No. 1 overall pick.

"If you were watching the game vs. Auburn, we were down 10-3, 40 seconds left," Williams said. "That last drive, Bryce had a smile on his face. I would never say I’ve seen him rattled or intimidated by anything. I feel like he has the mindset that he knows he is going to get the job done."

5. What is something we may not know about Bryce?

Young is an excellent basketball player and his teammates have said that he is an amazing point guard.

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