Todd McShay compares Bryce Young to Patrick Mahomes

Evaluating Bryce Young as an NFL prospect appears to be fairly simple. From a talent and skill standpoint, there are few, if any, analysts who would not argue for him to have a case as the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft. Still, many have their reservations about the former Heisman winner when it comes to his six-foot, 194-pound frame that Alabama has listed.

However, Todd McShay is not and has not been one of those people. Actually, he has been one of Young’s biggest proponents in preparation for the draft as, in his mind, he thinks the former five-star out of Pasadena can be as special as the current league MVP considering the superb creativity that he has put on display in the pocket.

“I have Indianapolis moving up to No. 1 and taking Bryce Young,” said McShay in an episode of First Draft. “I know he’s undersized…But I have (the Colts) taking Bryce Young at that No. 1 spot. To me, Bryce Young has a chance to be an absolute star. I’ve said it multiple times but he is Patrick Mahomes in a smaller body.”

“The ability to move the pocket? Just the pocket presence that he has? The magic that he can create inside of the pocket and outside of the pocket? (It’s) different than all the other quarterbacks in this class and most quarterbacks that we evaluate,” McShay said.

That’s high praise for Young considering what Mahomes has accomplished just in the last week. In his fifth season as QB1 for the Kansas City Chiefs, he just won his second MVP. He also made his third Super Bowl appearance, with his second victory, and took home Super Bowl LVII MVP.

With that said, besides size, the two play a very, very similar game. From the persona, the presence, the efficiency, and the Houdini act both Young and Mahomes have to their games, you can see why many are excited about Young as a pro considering what Mahomes does game in and game out, especially in the postseason.

Some will still be scared away from drafting Young come April 27th simply because of his size. Even so, McShay is doing his best to campaign against that so that those teams don’t sell themselves out from having a shot at the ‘next Mahomes’.