Bryce Young is a small man. That statement would be true even if Bryce Young was an accountant or an engineer or a lawyer, but it’s especially true in his chosen line of work, namely the NFL quarterback. Overall pick No. 1 in the 2023 NFL Draft listed at 5’10, 204 pounds on the official Carolina Panthers roster, and there you go generously. If Young succeeds, he will become the smallest QB in the modern era to do so.
The Panthers are getting their first look at the top picks in OTA practice this week. So far it’s been mostly positive: veteran QB Andy Dalton raved about Young’s understanding of the game, and head coach Frank Reich called his command a “10 out of 10” on his first day. There’s a reason why Bryce Young was the first pick in the NFL Draft: he’s damn good! But there’s also a reason some people are skeptical of his professional translations, and that’s because he was so young.
Young’s size concerns were bugged during practice Thursday when he hit a downward pass. Watch the video here:
It should be noted that the defensive midfielder who hit the pass, Shy Tuttle, is 6’3 with a great reach. Then again, there have been plenty of tall defensive linemen Young has had to pitch throughout his NFL career.
It was only last year that then-Panthers starter Baker Mayfield struggled by getting his pass hit at the line of scrimmage. Mayfield is much bigger than Young, but Young seems to have more talent in his ability to create plays from in or out of the pocket.
This may have been a problem for Young throughout his career. The Panthers are betting on the fact that he will find a way to improve.