The recent 16-13 loss to the Bears further plunged the Panthers to a 1-8 record, highlighting the team’s difficulties this season. While fellow rookie quarterbacks CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis have shown promise in their performances, Young has faced a unique set of challenges.

One cannot overlook the impact of the Panthers’ struggling offensive line and underperforming wide receivers, factors that significantly influence a rookie quarterback’s performance. The team’s 1-8 record doesn’t solely rest on Young’s shoulders; instead, it sheds light on the overall deficiencies within the roster.

Critics argue that it’s too early to make a fair judgment on Bryce Young, considering the adverse conditions he has faced.

Is Bryce Young a bust draft pick?

As a rookie quarterback, the need for a solid supporting cast becomes crucial for development and success. Young, like any emerging talent, requires additional pieces around him to fully showcase his potential. So to call him a flat out bust would be inaccurate. In this case Young is a work in progress, but the whole team needs a LOT of work too.

While the Panthers continue to grapple with a challenging season, the evaluation of Bryce Young should be approached with patience and an acknowledgment of the broader team dynamics. As the young quarterback navigates the hurdles of his rookie season, the hope is that future improvements to the roster will provide a more accurate look at his talent!

What do you think? Let us know!

However, the most recent draft brought about a change in the quarterback landscape, as three signal-callers were chosen in the first round. Bryce Young became the top overall pick, joining the Carolina Panthers. Additionally, C.J. Stroud from Ohio State was selected by the Houston Texans, while Anthony Richardson from Florida found his new home with the Indianapolis Colts.

Let’s take a look back at the quarterbacks chosen in the first round of the NFL draft, starting from the 1998 class, which included the legendary Peyton Manning. Please note that the quarterbacks marked with an asterisk (*) achieved Pro Bowl recognition at some point in their careers.

1998:
– Peyton Manning (No. 1, Indianapolis Colts)
– Ryan Leaf (No. 2, San Diego Chargers)

1999:
– Tim Couch (No. 1, Cleveland Browns)
– Donovan McNabb (No. 2, Philadelphia Eagles)
– Akili Smith (No. 3, Cincinnati Bengals)
– Daunte Culpepper (No. 11, Minnesota Vikings)
– Cade McNown (No. 12, Chicago Bears)

2000:
– Chad Pennington (No. 18, New York Jets)

2001:
– Michael Vick* (No. 1, Atlanta Falcons)

2002:
– David Carr (No. 1, Houston Texans)
– Joey Harrington (No. 3, Detroit Lions)
– Patrick Ramsey (No. 32, Washington Commanders)

2003:
– Carson Palmer* (No. 1, Cincinnati Bengals)
– Byron Leftwich (No. 7, Jacksonville Jaguars)
– Kyle Boller (No. 19, Baltimore Ravens)
– Rex Grossman (No. 22, Chicago Bears)

2004:
– Eli Manning* (No. 1, New York Giants)
– Philip Rivers* (No. 4, San Diego Chargers)
– Ben Roethlisberger* (No. 11, Pittsburgh Steelers)
– J.P. Losman (No. 22, Buffalo Bills)

2005:
– Alex Smith* (No. 1, San Francisco 49ers)
– Aaron Rodgers* (No. 24, Green Bay Packers)
– Jason Campbell (No. 25, Washington Commanders)

2006:
– Vince Young* (No. 3, Tennessee Titans)
– Matt Leinart (No. 10, Arizona Cardinals)
– Jay Cutler* (No. 11, Denver Broncos)

2007:
– JaMarcus Russell (No. 1, Oakland Raiders)
– Brady Quinn (No. 22, Cleveland Browns)

2008:
– Matt Ryan* (No. 3, Atlanta Falcons)
– Joe Flacco (No. 18, Baltimore Ravens)

2009:
– Matthew Stafford* (No. 1, Detroit Lions)
– Mark Sanchez (No. 5, New York Jets)
– Josh Freeman (No. 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

2010:
– Sam Bradford (No. 1, St. Louis Rams)
– Tim Tebow (No. 25, Denver Broncos)

2011:
– Cam Newton* (No. 1, Carolina Panthers)
– Jake Locker (No. 8, Tennessee Titans)
– Blaine Gabbert (No. 10, Jacksonville Jaguars)
– Christian Ponder (No. 12, Minnesota Vikings)

2012:
– Andrew Luck* (No. 1, Indianapolis Colts)
– Robert Griffin III* (No. 2, Washington Commanders)
– Ryan Tannehill* (No. 8, Miami Dolphins)
– Brandon Weeden (No. 22, Cleveland Browns)

2013:
– EJ Manuel (No. 16, Buffalo Bills)

2014:
– Blake Bortles (No. 3, Jacksonville Jaguars)
– Johnny Manziel (No. 22, Cleveland Browns)
– Teddy Bridgewater* (No. 32, Minnesota Vikings)

2015:
– Jameis Winston* (No. 1, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
– Marcus Mariota (No. 2, Tennessee Titans)

2016:
– Jared Goff* (No. 1, Los Angeles Rams)
– Carson Wentz* (No. 2, Philadelphia Eagles)
– Paxton Lynch (No. 26, Denver Broncos)

2017:
– Mitchell Trubisky* (No. 2, Chicago Bears)
– Patrick Mahomes* (No. 10, Kansas City Chiefs)
– Deshaun Watson* (No. 12, Houston Texans)

2018:
– Baker Mayfield (No. 1, Cleveland Browns)
– Sam Darnold (No. 3, New York Jets)
– Josh Allen* (No. 7, Buffalo Bills)
– Josh Rosen (No. 10, Arizona Cardinals)
– Lamar Jackson* (No. 32, Baltimore Ravens)

2019:
– Kyler Murray* (No. 1, Arizona Cardinals)
– Daniel Jones (No. 6, New York Giants)
– Dwayne Haskins (No. 15, Washington Commanders)

2020:
– Joe Burrow* (No. 1, Cincinnati Bengals)
– Tua Tagovailoa (No. 5, Miami Dolphins)
– Justin Herbert* (No. 6, Los Angeles Chargers)
– Jordan Love (No. 26, Green Bay Packers)

2021:
– Trevor Lawrence* (No. 1, Jacksonville Jaguars)
– Zach Wilson (No. 2, New York Jets)
– Trey Lance (No. 3, San Francisco 49ers)
– Justin Fields (No. 11, Chicago Bears)
– Mac Jones* (No. 15, New England Patriots)

2022:
– Kenny Pickett (No. 20, Pittsburgh Steelers)

2023:
– Bryce Young (No. 1, Carolina Panthers)
– C.J. Stroud (No. 2, Houston Texans)
– Anthony Richardson (No. 4, Indianapolis Colts)

Young’s small stature, however, also makes him a unique prospect and a risky player to draft in the NFL. At just 6 feet tall and weighing around 190 pounds, he may struggle to see over taller linemen and deliver accurate passes under pressure. Additionally, his slight frame could put him at risk for injuries if he takes too many hits.

Despite these concerns, Young has drawn comparisons to former NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, who also had a smaller stature but was able to use his mobility and accuracy to become a successful quarterback. If Young can develop his skills and adjust to the speed and physicality of the NFL, he could become a valuable asset to any team that drafts him.

Here is Young’s stat line for 2021:

In 13 games, Young posted 4,322 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and just four interceptions with a 68 percent completion percentage, leading Alabama to a 12-1 record, and the No. 1 ranking in the College Football Playoff.

Now this being a NFL Draft website we have to focus on the draft implications of this. Young will likely be favorably compared to Kyler Murray when he is eligible to be drafted in 2023. Will he go #1 overall like Murray? That is hard to say because the NFL game has changed so much in just the last 3 seasons. However he’s a first rounder for sure.