Panthers insider calls Bryce Young the 'real deal'

All eyes were on Bryce Young for the Carolina Panthers’ preseason opener last weekend. After a rather quiet showcase from the former college superstar, Panthers insider Sheena Quick revealed why fans shouldn’t be hitting the panic button just yet — or anytime soon for that matter.

“The consensus here is that Bryce Young is the real deal. He is as advertised,” Quick said on the Pat McAfee Show. “No sense of urgency just yet. He didn’t put any points up because he only played three series but everyone is still feeling pretty good about making the move [to draft him].”

Young finished his first NFL preseason game going 4-of-6 through the air for 21 yards as the Panthers fell to the New York Jets by a score of 27-0.

Of course, the preseason isn’t a great place to judge where a top-ranked rookie is. Young’s collegiate achievements and reputation as the No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft are all anyone needs to know before he takes his first pro snap this fall.

Spending three seasons in Tuscaloosa, Young ended his time at Alabama as the greatest quarterback to ever come out of the program. He finished his career in Tuscaloosa throwing for 8,356 yards and 80 touchdowns — and is fully expected to dominate at the same level in the NFL. 

During his first year of starting experience during the 2021 season he did not 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 with 684 first-place votes. The next closest competitor was Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who garnered 78 first-place votes, he now stars in the same role for the Detroit Lions.

Following his Heisman campaign, Young went on to similarly dominate in 2022 having completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,328 yards with 32 touchdowns and five interceptions this past season. He also added 185 yards and four touchdowns rushing while leading Alabama to a 45-20 victory over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.

If Young’s expectations match the product on the field, the former Crimson Tide superstar is in for a long, fruitful career in Carolina. His first regular season game is set for Sept. 10 on the road against the Atlanta Falcons inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium — a venue that Young is all too familiar with.