Who will the Carolina Panthers pick at #1 overall?
Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft the Carolina Panthers have acquired the number one overall pick after trading away their first round pick this year and next, the 61st total pick this year and a second rounder in 2025.
The big question now is who the Panthers are going to decide to draft first overall. It will come as no surprise that the only options being talked about are quarterbacks, this is because for the last five seasons the quarterback position has been a real issue for the 2015 Super Bowl runners-up.
After dealing with Cam Newton’s body catching up to him the Panthers have been stuck in quarterback limbo with Sam Darnold, Kyle Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Teddy Bridgewater leading in passing yards for the subsequent seasons. None of which have managed to achieve a positive record with the dubbed ‘Cardiac Cats’.
The quarterback position in the draft class of 2023 has four main options with the main favourites being, C.J Stroud, Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Height: 6’3” – Weight: 214 lbs
With C.J. Stroud’s size being greater than that of Bryce young and his accuracy being better than Richardson it is not that surprising that he is the odds-on favourite to be drafted number one overall.
Stroud finished this previous season with 41 touchdowns and 3,668 yards a good season for the 2-time Heisman finalist.
Stroud has an efficient and quick throwing motion coupled with an impressive arm strength. He showcased this talent in his 79-yard touchdown pass to Julian Fleming in the matchup versus Iowa.
The Buckeye’s QB is very impressive however his most impressive attribute is his accuracy, he rarely throws an uncatchable pass, he consistently places the ball where it is possible for his receivers to gain yards after the catch. His processing is up there with the very best, he can accurately identify coverages and pinpoint advantages and mismatches based upon those identified coverages.
However, an area for improvement is the fact he often doesn’t play as athletically as he is able to. And he can improve on becoming more comfortable as an improviser, when things go off-script, he can pass up opportunities to create but these can be fixed with time and coaching.
Overall C.J. Stroud is a very safe option who is ready for a day one starting job, which if given the chance with the veteran receivers added to Carolina roster, good O-line, and a solid run game he could do good things in Carolina.
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Height: 5’10” – Weight: 194 lbs
The biggest question mark over Bryce is his size and whether he can cut it at the highest level but as Nick Saban said, “I think you should ask the people that had to play against him the last couple of years and see if they think it affected his performance.”
The current Heisman trophy holder threw for 152 touchdowns, 13,250 yards and just 21 interceptions over a four-year career at varsity level with nearly a 70% completion rate. He added to this with 1,084 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns. However, one thing Young couldn’t achieve is a championship ring but despite Alabama’s struggles this season he has been their best player completing 245 of 380 attempts throwing for 3,345 yards and 32 touchdowns with only five interceptions.
What generates the hype for Bryce Young is his arm elasticity, he can throw practically in any direction from any angle which allows him to be creative and pull off passes other quarterbacks would not be able to.
But it cannot be understated the fact he is shorter, and much lighter will impact how he is viewed by NFL scouts, it must be said he never had durability issues in college, but it could potentially be an issue in the NFL. He has also sometimes been to set in his ways with designed plays and will try to force a pass when a receiver is covered.
Bryce Young represents a very solid quarterback, who can perform to an elite level. If the Panthers draft him, he will certainly be entrusted with the keys to driving Carolina to top the NFC South.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Height: 6’4” – Weight: 244 lbs
Anthony Richardson’s upside is through the roof. The man is an athletic specimen, recording the highest Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of all time at QB. His vertical leap was a monstrous 40.5” and a 4.43 40-yard dash time.
Players with Richardson’s raw ability are a rarity and that is what makes him such an interesting option. However, even with his ability there remain question marks over his ability as a passer.
A problem for the Gator’s QB is his eye discipline, he often stares down his targets straight off the snap which can invite pressure on the receiver from the defensive backs. He sometimes gets stuck looking deep which can cause him to miss options short and opens him up to mistakes when throwing downfield.
Richardson can also over tilt his leading shoulder too much causing passes to fly over the receiver. He improved at sensing and manoeuvring away from pressure in 2022 but can still improve in this regard.
As previously mentioned, Richardson is a unicorn of a QB with his unique combination of explosive speed, a strong frame and a high velocity passer. The closest comparison to him would be former Carolina quarterback Cam Newton but Richardson possesses speed not even ‘supercam’ had.
Richardson is a rawer talent than the other two on the list, but he has abilities that just cannot be taught, it’s not too far out of the realm of possibility to imagine the Panthers drafting him with the first overall pick and nurturing him into an elite quarterback as they did with Cam.
On the other hand, with the Panthers’ moves in free agency makes this seem less likely due to signing older receivers and a strong running back. If Carolina do draft Richardson they could face growing pains however it could be beneficial for Richardson to learn from Andy Dalton.
