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Former University of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has had a lot of hype surrounding him dating back to his time in high school. Young joined the Crimson Tide as a top recruit in 2020, and by his sophomore season, he had already emerged as a superstar passer and arguably the best in the country.
Young's college career was littered with awards and accomplishments, and naturally, he entered the 2023 NFL Draft as a top prospect to help rebuild a franchise. Although there were many debates about how he stacked up amongst his peers through the draft process, Young did end up being selected as the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers. Young will arrive in Charlotte with the expectation of becoming a franchise quarterback.
How exactly did Young perform in college? What is his outlook as a professional quarterback? Let's take a deeper dive.
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Bryce Young NFL Rookie Profile
Team: Carolina Panthers
College: Alabama
Height: 5’10"
Weight: 204
Age: 21 (07/25/2001)
Arm Length: 30.5"
Hand Size: 9.75"
2023 NFL Draft: Round 1, Pick: 1
Young's Early College Career
Young was not only a consensus five-star recruit in the 2020 class; he was also the number 2 overall recruit and top quarterback coming out of high school that year according to the 247Sports Composite. He was committed to USC from July 2018 until September 2019, when he made the newsworthy flip to Alabama.
With Mac Jones starting and dominating at quarterback for the Tide in 2020, Young spent his freshman season as a mere backup. He made seven appearances that year, completing 13 of 22 passes for 156 yards and one touchdown.
Although his time on the field was sparse, Young demonstrated the elite traits that made him such a highly-touted recruit. After Alabama won the National Championship in 2020, Jones entered the 2021 NFL Draft, leaving Young to take over the reins as the starter for the following season.
2021 Heisman Campaign
Young put the country on notice with his first collegiate start, racking up 344 yards and four touchdowns against the Miami Hurricanes. He then proceeded to shred almost every team he faced, including Arkansas with a masterful 559-yard, five-touchdown performance.
After he accumulated 461 total yards, four total touchdowns, and a 41-24 win in the SEC Championship, Young received an immense number of awards. He was the Heisman winner, AP Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien Award winner, Manning Award winner, Maxwell Award winner, and SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Needless to say, Young more than lived up to his recruiting ranking.
| Opponent | Completions | Attempts | Pass Yards | Pass TDs | INTs | Rush Yards | Rush TDs |
| Miami (FL) | 27 | 38 | 344 | 4 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Mercer | 19 | 27 | 227 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Florida | 22 | 35 | 240 | 3 | 0 | -4 | 0 |
| Southern Miss | 20 | 22 | 313 | 5 | 1 | -11 | 0 |
| Ole Miss | 20 | 26 | 241 | 2 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
| Texas A&M | 28 | 48 | 369 | 3 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Mississippi State | 20 | 28 | 348 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 31 | 43 | 371 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| LSU | 24 | 37 | 302 | 2 | 0 | -22 | 0 |
| New Mexico State | 21 | 23 | 270 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 31 | 40 | 559 | 5 | 0 | -11 | 0 |
| Auburn | 25 | 51 | 317 | 2 | 1 | -23 | 0 |
| Georgia | 26 | 44 | 421 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| Cincinnati | 17 | 28 | 181 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Georgia | 35 | 57 | 369 | 1 | 2 | -43 | 0 |
| Total | 366 | 547 | 4,872 | 47 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
The Crimson Tide qualified for the College Football Playoff with a 12-1 record, but the season ended with a whimper. After defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Cotton Bowl, Alabama fell to Georgia in the College Football Championship by a score of 33-18. Young threw two interceptions in that final game, including a pick-six that sealed his team's fate in the fourth quarter.
Despite the setback, Young entered the 2022 season as a clear contender to become the second-ever player to win the Heisman twice.
2022 Encore Performance
Young again led the Alabama offense to success in 2022. The Tide started the season 5-0 with him leading the squad, but a shoulder injury prevented Young from playing in the team's sixth straight win to open the year. Nonetheless, he and Alabama were able to retain their form from 2021.
Alabama did pick up two losses in the second half of the regular season, preventing them from making the College Football Playoff. The first was a 52-49 defeat at the hands of Tennessee, despite Young compiling 455 yards without an interception. The other was a thrilling 32-31 overtime loss to LSU.
| Opponent | Completions | Attempts | Pass Yards | Pass TDs | INTs | Rush Yards | Rush TDs |
| Utah State | 18 | 28 | 195 | 5 | 0 | 100 | 1 |
| Texas | 27 | 39 | 213 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| ULM | 13 | 18 | 236 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Vanderbilt | 25 | 36 | 385 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 7 | 13 | 173 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Tennessee | 35 | 52 | 455 | 2 | 0 | -4 | 0 |
| Mississippi State | 21 | 35 | 249 | 2 | 0 | -13 | 0 |
| LSU | 25 | 51 | 328 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Ole Miss | 21 | 33 | 209 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Austin Peay | 18 | 24 | 221 | 2 | 0 | -10 | 0 |
| Auburn | 20 | 30 | 343 | 3 | 1 | 48 | 1 |
| Kansas State | 15 | 21 | 321 | 5 | 0 | -10 | 0 |
| Total | 245 | 380 | 3,328 | 32 | 5 | 185 | 4 |
The Crimson Tide did end the season on a positive note, defeating Kansas State 45-20 in the Sugar Bowl. In the dominant win, Young posted 321 yards and five touchdowns through the air.
Although Young's production was down compared to his sophomore season output, the team's offense still hummed along nicely. Alabama averaged 41.1 points per game, compared to their mark of 39.9 in 2021. Young finished sixth in the Heisman voting, with USC quarterback Caleb Williams taking home the trophy.
Bryce Young Draft Stock Movement
All the way until early March, Young was considered a clear contender to be the first overall pick. While the team that held that selection, the Chicago Bears, was not in particular need of a quarterback, the expectation was that a QB-needy team would trade up to number one. Young was believed to be the favorite to go first if that occurred, and if not the Bears would likely take a defensive player.
On March 10, the Carolina Panthers made the blockbuster trade to move up to number one. Young's odds to go first quickly dropped, as rumors swirled that Carolina had their eyes on C.J. Stroud, a quarterback from Ohio State, instead. Young's draft stock reached a low point in late March, as draft insiders began to reach a consensus that Stroud would be the pick for the Panthers. Young had measured in at merely 5'10" at the Scouting Combine, which led to debates about whether or not he would be too small to succeed in the NFL.
Bryce Young Mock Draft Data
However, Young slowly climbed back up in mock drafts, and by mid-April, he had regained his footing as the likely first overall selection. The Panthers did indeed select Young on April 27, with Stroud going second to the Houston Texans.
Bryce Young Fantasy Football Outlook
Young should not face many obstacles preventing him from starting in Week 1. He joins a quarterback room featuring veteran Andy Dalton and second-year passer Matt Corral. Neither of these players seems likely to beat out Young for the starting gig during training camp, so the rookie should make an immediate impact.
Although he may be rather short compared to other quarterbacks, Young's traits provide encouraging signs for his NFL prospects. He stood out among his peers for his ability to read defenses and make creative plays when necessary. He does an excellent job of keeping track of defenders even when things go off-script, as evidenced by an incredible play he made against LSU last season.
Unfortunately for Young, the Panthers dealt talented wideout D.J. Moore to the Bears as part of their move up the draft board. Still, Carolina acquired Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark in free agency, and they also drafted former Ole Miss receiver Jonathan Mingo in the second round. While the team lacks a true top receiving option, Young will have no shortage of weapons to pass to.
Expectations should be relatively low for Young in his rookie season. He can be viewed as a low-end QB2 for 2023, but he is definitely someone to keep an eye on as the season progresses as a potential overperformer. For Superflex rookie drafts, he is on a tier with fellow quarterbacks Stroud and Anthony Richardson, behind new Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. For one-QB rookie drafts, he should be taken somewhere between sixth and 10th overall.
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