Todd McShay mocks Mel Kiper Jr over ridiculous Bryce Young weight caveat in last mock draft
Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young worked to add some weight prior to the NFL Combine, and ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believes it was needed. Listed at 194 pounds last season according to the Crimson Tide’s website, Young weighed in at 204 this past week in Indianapolis.
Appearing in a SportsCenter special to discuss fellow ESPN expert Todd McShay’s latest mock draft, Kiper explained that pushed Young into the top quarterback spot on his draft board. However, if he didn’t add the weight, it would have been a different story.
“He’s QB1 for me by the slimmest of margins,” Kiper said. “You think about what he did. Well, he was 204. That’s nine pounds over what I said he had to be, which is 195. NFL people said, ‘Hey, he should be 200 or better.’ But can he maintain that weight? Was it manufactured? That’s a question that won’t be answered until he gets into his NFL career.
“The great processor he is, he better be. Because he’s not tall. He’s not big. He doesn’t have 4.4 speed. So you’ve got to have that ‘it’ factor. As Todd said, he does. Can he hold up and withstand punishment in the NFL? That’s the big question.”
Kiper’s fixation on Bryce Young’s weight caused McShay to rib his colleague in his next statement. However, he ultimately agreed that it is something many NFL teams have expressed some hesitations over.
“At least you’re a man of your word,” he quipped. “I couldn’t believe you when you told me a couple of weeks ago, ‘If he’s 194 pounds, he’s not gonna be QB1. If he’s 196 pounds, he’s QB1. Came in at 204, so you are a man of your word.
“I’ll say this: it is a concern. If you’re not gonna draft Bryce Young, it’s gonna be because of the size. He’ll be the first quarterback going back to 2006 when we started recording it that will be this small in terms of his weight. …We’ve had Kyler Murray. We’ve had smaller quarterbacks. They’re thicker. He has a slender frame and NFL teams, they’re worried about it. Can he last 17 games in the NFL? He held in there in the SEC for the most part. Had that shoulder injury this past year (and) fought through that. But 17 games is what every NFL GM I talk to says, ‘We’re just worried about that.’ If he’s not the first quarterback take, it will be because of that size.”
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Young’s size has been a frequent topic of discussion heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. In addition to weighing less than most quarterbacks, he also stands at 5’10½”. However, it’s about the only knock on the former Alabama star that most scouts have.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 8,200 yards, 79 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions across his two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s starter. McShay went on to say he believes Bryce Young is “special,” and has the talent needed to succeed in the NFL despite questions about his height and weight.
“Bryce Young to me, he’s special,” he said. “The reason he’s special is the poise that he brings to the table. Nothing ever bothers him. He’s flatlined all the time and that’s what you want to see from your quarterback. He’s mobile, but he’s not necessarily a runner. He extends plays. He’s always got his eyes down the field. I’ve said it before: he reminds me a lot of Patrick Mahomes in that the game is very slow to him and everything’s relaxed.”
McShay has Young going as the No. 1 overall pick to the Indianapolis Colts in his mock, and it will be interesting to see whether that comes to fruition when the NFL Draft kicks off on April 27.