This week, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young became the heavy favorite to be selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers over at Caesars Sportsbook. He's currently listed at -1200, which means a $100 bet on him would net a whopping $8.33.
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer, assistant GM Dan Morgan and director of college scouting Cole Spencer spoke to reporters on Tuesday, and naturally, the trio fielded several questions about Young. While this young signal-caller is certainly talented, the one knock on him as a prospect is his frame. Young measured in at 5-foot-10, 204 pounds at the NFL Combine. If he's drafted by Carolina, Young will be the second quarterback listed under 6-foot tall to be selected No. 1 overall in the common draft era.
Carolina saw Baker Mayfield -- who is taller than Young -- have plenty of passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in 2022. Fitterer was asked about this concern with Young.
"I would say this: When Russell Wilson came out, I think he had three balls batted down his senior year. Bryce had two," Fitterer said. "It doesn't seem to be an issue. When you grow up -- a shorter quarterback -- you learn how to evolve your game and adapt and see the field, and he's done that just like C.J. [Stroud] evolved his game, Will [Levis] evolved his game. They all develop, and there's certain tools that they have and they learn to play to their strength. And they've all done that."
The height is one thing, but Young's weight is another. Young was listed at 194 pounds during his junior season at Alabama, and one could argue he was actually lighter. The fact that he weighed in at 204 pounds at the combine showed he was working on adding weight, and Fitterer said that's something the Panthers will continue to work on with him -- if they draft him, of course.
"I think nutritionally we can do some things to educate him, get him in the weight room," Fitterer said. "When you really look at his lower body, his lower body has gotten bigger. He's put on a lot of mass down there. Lot of times quarterbacks don't want to lift upper body because you get a little bit bound up. But there's some things, he's gonna naturally put on size as he ages as well. Again, going back to Russ, I think he came out at 206 pounds. He's at 220 now. I mean, guys just grow. That's something he can control, that's something we can help him with. We can't control the height."
Young is considered the top quarterback in this class by many, but it remains to be seen if his frame can withstand the rigors that come with the NFL. If Tuesday's press conference was an indication of anything, the Panthers are confident Young can live up to his potential No. 1 overall billing.
