Jadeveon Clowney offers advice for fellow number one NFL draft pick Bryce Young

Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney knows the kind of pressure that QB Bryce Young is under.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 29: Jadeveon Clowney #7 of the Carolina Panthers is introduced during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. / (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

After a five-game absence, the bright lights are back on Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, who will start this week against the Denver Broncos in the wake of Andy Dalton's thumb injury. We all know that Young has the physical abilities he needs to succeed at his level - the question is if he can finally start playing with some confidence and live up to his potential.

It's easier said than done, though. And few know better the kind of pressure that Young is under than his teammate, Jadeveon Clowney - who was a number one overall draft pick himself back in 2014 with the Houston Texans. Here's what Clowney shared about Young in the locker room yesterday.

Jadeveon Clowney on Bryce Young

As a No. 1 pick himself, Jadeveon Clowney can empathize with what Bryce Young has gone through. He told him to keep believing in himself and keep the haters away. pic.twitter.com/djyfEoULPh

— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 23, 2024

Clowney had been missing at practice with a shoulder injury but he appears on track to return to the lineup this week after being a full participant on Wednesday.

While they can't afford to be picky, the Panthers can't be too happy with what they have gotten from Clowney so far this season. In five games Clowney has only posted one sack, two quarterback hits and six pressures. For what it's worth, Pro Football Focus has Clowney graded out at 56.1 overall, which ranks 79th at his position.

Clowney signed a two-year, $20 million deal with Carolina in the offseason, but the circumstances make him a potential candidate to get dealt at the NFL trade deadline. Where their pass rush will come from without him is any guess, but it's not like he's playing like it's 2017, either. Most likely the Panthers will use their first-round pick in 2025 on the best pass rusher available, that is if they don't have to reset at quarterback yet again.

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