Alabama quarterback Bryce Young declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has officially made a decision on his future and whether or not to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner’s career in Tuscaloosa has come to an end, as he is officially heading the the professional ranks next season.

Young began his career with the Crimson Tide in 2020 as the primary backup to Mac Jones. He got his first year of starting experience during the 2021 season, and he didn’t disappoint. That season, Young completed 66.9 percent of his pass attempts, throwing for 4,872 yards with 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Young’s dominant 2021 season led to him winning the Heisman Trophy in a landslide, getting 684 first-place votes. The next closest competitor was Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who garnered 78 first-place votes.

Entering the 2022 season, Young was viewed as one of the top two quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft, alongside Ohio State‘s CJ Stroud. Young dealt with a shoulder injury during the 2022 season that limited him at times and held him out of of an early October contest against Texas A&M. That was the only week Young was held out of, though, and he returned the following week against Tennessee and threw for 455 yards and two touchdowns.

Overall, Young completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,328 yards with 32 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He also added 185 yards and four touchdowns rushing. Young led Alabama to a 45-20 victory over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday.

When it’s all said and done, Young is likely to be a top five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he is a serious candidate to be selected at No. 1 or No. 2 overall.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.