Holding the No. 1 total pick for the primary time in 12 years, the Panthers have a reputation they’re ready to position on their draft card Thursday night time. Frank Reich mentioned GM Scott Fitterer sought his opinion on the pick Monday.
While Reich undoubtedly supplied enter all through this thorough course of, Fitterer mentioned final week he had not requested the brand new head coach who his most popular pick was. The Panthers have reached a consensus, through NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe (on Twitter). The long-held expectation is Bryce Young will go first total, and whereas the Panthers might finish the suspense now, the NFL’s annual choice of constructing drama will probably forestall any workforce announcement till Thursday night time.
Although C.J. Stroud was believed to be a consideration when the Panthers made their eight-spot trade-up with the Bears, Young has at all times been within the dialog. The 2021 Heisman winner’s 5-foot-10 body has generated some concern, and Young himself acknowledged the priority is legitimate. But Carolina is all however sure to tab the Alabama product as its subsequent franchise QB hopeful. With the Texans believing to have positioned a worth hole between Young and this draft’s different QBs, Stroud’s touchdown spot is foggy because the gamers put together to listen to their names referred to as in Kansas City.
Cam Newton gave the Panthers franchise-QB certainty for about seven seasons, ascending to the MVP tier and changing into the highest passer in workforce historical past. But after Newton missed time in 2018, a 2019 foot harm introduced his Charlotte run to a detailed. The Panthers have pivoted to stopgaps in every of the previous three seasons, utilizing free company (Teddy Bridgewater) and the commerce routes (Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield) as an effort to fill this gaping gap. The workforce’s two-offseason push for Deshaun Watson additionally didn’t produce a optimistic end result.
These failed efforts led the Panthers to surrender their 2024 first-rounder, D.J. Moore and different property to maneuver up this yr. That will definitely intensify the strain on Reich and Co. to show Young into an upper-echelon possibility on the sport’s premier place. Frame considerations apart, Young is considered because the most secure possibility on this draft. It can be surprising if the Panthers went in one other course Thursday.
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