Many people feel that the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft will come down to either Bryce Young of the University of Alabama or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
The Carolina Panthers hold that top pick, and they will have a difficult decision to make, as both quarterbacks have plenty of strengths.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, both Young and Stroud are tied for the highest odds to go No. 1 in the draft later this month.
Bryce Young is the new Co-Favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Odds for No. 1 overall pick have moved CONSIDERABLY today at @FDSportsbook:
Bryce Young (-110)
C.J. Stroud (-110)
Anthony Richardson (+1200)
Will Levis (+5000)— Jaime Eisner (@JaimeEisner) April 6, 2023
For a while, there was a feeling that Young was the solid favorite to be the first player chosen in the draft.
He is an excellent passer who has a nice instinctual feel for the game, not to mention decent mobility to get out of the pocket and evade pass rushers.
However, Young is, at most, six-feet tall, and he weighs less than 200 pounds, which has caused concern among some scouts and pundits.
There have been very few successful NFL quarterbacks of modest stature, and with all the concerns over brain trauma and player safety over the last several years, some may feel Young is doomed to suffer some significant injuries at the next level.
Stroud, meanwhile, doesn’t lack size, and he has been a slightly accurate passer over the last two seasons.
At the same time, there is also Anthony Richardson of the University of Florida, a quarterback who didn’t put up dazzling stats but reportedly impressed scouts during the interview process at last month’s NFL Combine.
After a number of notable additions this offseason, the Panthers could have a very competitive team as soon as next season, as long as they choose the right signal-caller in the draft.
