For the past 5 years the Carolina have been searching, and looking for their face of the franchise, their superstar, their quarterback and have continually found failure. Since 2019, The Panthers have started 7 different quarterbacks, from former #1 pick Baker Mayfield, to XFL star PJ. Walker, but they have not seen any results with the Panthers last winning season being 2018. The Panthers selected Quarterback Bryce Young with the #1 overall pick after they secured the pick in the Draft via a trade with the Chicago Bears. The Panthers hope they have finally found their missing piece in Young.
In recent years, there has been one common thread between successful teams in the NFL: quarterbacks. The defending Champions, The Kansas City Chiefs have what some would say the best quarterback in the league: Patrick Mahomes. The Cincinnati Bengals have Joe Burrow, who led them to their first superbowl appearance in over 30 years. Both of these teams took gambles by drafting a quarterback in the NFL draft and are now soaking in success. However, drafting a quarterback in the NFL Draft means failure more often than it leads to success. The New York Jets selected Zach Wilson second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the match has been far from perfect. As a starter in New York, Wilson has recorded an 8-14 losing record, and lost the starting job. The Panthers have faith Bryce Young can be their superstar and not another disappointment.
Bryce Young attended the University of Alabama and put together a stellar resume. Young went 30-4 as a starter over three years for the Crimson Tide and was the first ever Alabama Quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy for Alabama. Additionally, Young possess a very strong mental game which was a big reason he was pegged as a potential #1 pick. Young scored in the 98th percentile for the S2 test (a test that measures how fast a player can process and react to information), Young excelled on the S2 test proving that he has an elite mental game. Young is not known for extreme arm strength, or being a freak athlete but he has found success at every level he has competed at.
Bryce Young is below the ideal size for a quarterback in the NFL, which is the main thing his critics cite will keep him from success in the NFL. At the combine, Young was measured at 6 feet tall, however many people believe that his height is closer to 5 ’10”.At the 2023 NFL Pre Draft Combine, Young weighed in at 204 pounds, although many people think by midseason he will be around 195 pounds. Young will be the shortest QB in the NFL the moment he takes his first snap. In fact, Panthers Head Coach, Frank Reich, has never worked with a QB shorter than 6’2”. Alabama Head Coach, Nick Saban, expressed that he wasn’t concerned about Young’s size in an interview with Stephen A. Smith, on his podcast Know Mercy, saying, “We’ve all seen the 6-foot-4, 225-pound guy that can throw it like a bazooka, but he can’t make the choices and decisions; he can’t distribute the ball, he can’t throw it accurately. So who’s the better bet? I’m going on history, production, [and] performance, and Bryce Young’s done it about as well as anybody.” Nick Saban has won 7 National Championships, and he carries the reputation as one of the greatest college football coaches, yet he is not concerned about Young’s size.
The Panthers are still searching for the franchise’s first superbowl, and have not made the playoffs since 2017. Panthers fans took a leap of faith trading up to #1 to select Bryce Young hoping he will be the man that can lead them out of the dark place this franchise is in, all the way to a Superbowl.