With the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected quarterback Bryce Young out of Alabama. Leading up to the draft, there wasn’t much suspense about who was going to be selected as Bryce Young was the heavy favorite to go first overall.
Despite Carolina doing their best to hide their intentions, even saying it would trade back if the opportunity presented itself, no one bought it. You don’t trade as many assets as they did to not select the player you want. Ultimately, that player ended up being Bryce Young.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner provides the Panthers with the franchise quarterback they have been seeking for years. Matt Rhule’s tenure as head coach was doomed without a quarterback as the franchise cycled through different veterans but found no answers.
What can we expect to see from Bryce Young in his first season in the NFL? Here are three bold predictions for him in the 2023 season.
3. Finishes Top-10 In Passing Yards
The NFL has become more and more of a passing league in recent years. Teams want to air it out as much as possible. The Panthers made a splash at running back in free agency, signing Miles Sanders, but Bryce Young will still have plenty of opportunities to throw the ball.
Carolina traded wide receiver D.J. Moore as part of the package to land the No. 1 pick, but have some weapons in the passing game. Free agent signings Adam Thielen and DJ Chark will join Terrace Marshall Jr., Shi Smith and Laviska Shenault Jr. in the pecking order for targets at wide receiver. Hayden Hurst was signed to take over at tight end.
While there aren’t stars in that mix, it is a solid group of veterans with different skill sets that will help Bryce Young acclimate himself to the NFL. He will finish in the top 10 of passing yards in the NFL, leading to him breaking the Panthers’ single-season passing record.
That record is currently held by the last No. 1 overall pick Carolina had, Cam Newton. He threw for 4,051 yards that season, which will be broken in 2023.
2. Leads Panthers To Wild Card Spot
The 2022 season got off to a rocky start with Rhule as head coach, but Steve Wilks was able to keep things afloat as the interim head coach. He nearly led the team to a division title as the Panthers finished one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 7-10 record.
What really held them back last year was inconsistent quarterback play. Baker Mayfield struggled after being acquired in a trade from the Cleveland Browns. P.J. Walker wasn’t too much better as Sam Darnold was the only player who found much success.
All three are gone now, with veteran Andy Dalton being signed in free agency. Bryce Young is a huge upgrade on all three options from last season and will help turn things around immediately. After falling just short of the playoffs, the Panthers will earn a Wild Card spot in this year’s postseason.
1. Wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
Breaking a franchise passing record and helping your team to the playoffs will result in a lot of accolades for Bryce Young. The biggest one will be taking home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
To win the award you need the opportunity to play. With Dalton as the only competition for playing time, Bryce Young should be the starter for the Panthers right off the bat. He is the most pro-ready of this year’s quarterback prospects and he will showcase that early and often.
There will be plenty of competition for this award, as Atlanta Falcons’ running back Bijan Robinson is the favorite out of the gate. C.J. Stroud could also start from Day 1 with the Houston Texans while other rookies always come out of nowhere and burst onto the scene. But, it will be the No. 1 overall pick who reigns supreme at the end of the season for the award.
