The Scout on New Panthers QB Bryce Young
Bryce Young is officially a Carolina Panther. After months of speculation as to who the Panthers would take with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the former Heisman Trophy winner is their guy.
What are the Panthers getting exactly in Young? I reached out to our friend, Zack Patraw of the NFL Draft Bible on FanNation/Sports Illustrated to get his take.
"He's a cerebral quarterback that has the intangibles that aren't coached. Some quarterbacks have the mental makeup. Some have a strong or accurate arm. Others have crisp, clean mechanics. Young has all of that. While his size will be a question mark, that concern didn't show up against SEC competition. The Panthers will have their franchise quarterback for the next 10-plus years."
Also from the NFL Draft Bible:
"A smart-accurate passer who doesn’t force throws and rarely makes mistakes. Lacks prototype size but sees the field very well, demonstrates natural feel in the pocket, and can push the ball downfield with a simple flick of the wrist; has extremely quick throwing motion. His leadership (permanent team captain), anticipation, touch, knowledge of the offense, and ability to move the chains with his feet would seem to translate to the next level. Young is a franchise quarterback in the making."
My thoughts:
For the Panthers to truly take this next step, they need a quarterback that can flourish in the big moments. One that doesn't play outside of himself when there are two minutes left in the game and a touchdown is needed to win. Bryce Young is that dude. Calm, cool, and collected. He embraces the big stage.
As far as the actual football, he's got the cleanest/smoothest mechanics of all the quarterbacks in the draft. More importantly, it's consistent regardless of whether he's got his feet under him or if he's on the move and off-platform. He's not as mobile as Anthony Richardson or Will Levis but he can evade pressure and extend plays with his legs when need be. With the coaching staff and offense he's walking into, Young should be able to have success fairly early in his career.
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