Carolina Panthers Make Bryce Young The Saints New NFC South Rival QB

With the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers bring Alabama quarterback to the NFC South, where the Saints will meet him twice a season.

It was far from a mystery that the Carolina Panthers would be going quarterback to kick off their 2023 NFL Draft. But who the New Orleans Saints are going to be facing twice a season went through the rumor mill as the draft neared. But now, it's all set in stone: Alabama's Bryce Young is the pick.

Nov 6, 2021; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts after a touchdown against the LSU Tigers during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

The Crimson Tide signal caller is the newest NFC South rival passer. Whether or not they see the rookie quarterback twice in 2023 remains to be seen with veteran Andy Dalton now in town as well. But Young will be the passer New Orleans will be facing for years to come.

The good news for New Orleans is that the driving conversation around Young, his height, works in their favor. While he stands at just over 5-foot-10 and 204 punds, the Saints defensive line is full of tall, long defenders who can make his NFL life a challenge. 

The Saints also have a lot of experience preparing a gameplan to protect a shorter passer after a decade and a half of Hall of Fame level play from former quarterback Drew Brees. Now, they get to extend that knowledge to building an attack against a player of similar stature.

But Young is much more than his size. He's remarkably accurate, wildly smart and perhaps most threatening at all to the Saints defense, mobile. New Orleans has had some struggles against that mold of passer in the past. But with No. 29 in the first round, they could help themselves considerably. Pressure up the middle will be the key to disrupting the offense and its timing around Young. 

Now, seeing the Saints selection later in the evening becomes more intriguing. Where will they go and how might it impact the team's ability to match up with Young? It may be a while before everyone finds out, but the Panthers now have their passer and the Saints now have their new rival.