Mel Kiper Jr. breaks down Carolina Panthers' plans with No. 1 overall pick
The Carolina Panthers traded with the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and ESPN’s Mel Kiper broke down what the team could do with its new position.
The projections pointed towards a quarterback for the Panthers. Which quarterback will suit up in black and blue? That remains to be seen.
Although it’s all but a guarantee for Carolina to select a signal caller on draft day, per Kiper.
“Figuring out QB1,” Kiper said on SportsCenter. “Now they’re in a position to get that QB1, own this division for a long time but they hit on that quarterback at nine, they probably weren’t gonna get any of the top three, maybe even top four. Now these pro days are coming up the 22nd of March: C.J. Stroud, 23rd Bryce Young, 24th Will Levis, very important.
“Anthony Richardson‘s the 30th of March, but the top three right now, three horse race, Bryce Young, you’re gonna take the outlier with size. There hasn’t been a quarterback this size go in the first round ever. C.J. Stroud is red hot. They’re gonna QB1 off their board, guaranteed now, by making this monumental deal.”
Young might be the prize of the draft class and it could give new head coach Frank Reich a franchise quarterback. After Reich left the Philadelphia Eagles to coach the Indianapolis Colts, he had quite the quarterback carousel.
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Reich did not start a quarterback for more than one season in total. Last year, Reich utilized a veteran Matt Ryan before the team fired the coach midseason.
But with a chance to reset with the former Alabama Heisman Trophy winner or finalist like Ohio State’s Stroud, Carolina could have the best situation in the division.
The NFC South features a curious crop of quarterbacks. Derek Carr signed a free agent deal with the Saints, bringing the team instant credibility. But the Panthers, Bucs and Falcons have young or unknown quarterbacks currently under center.
The Bears traded the top pick in this year’s draft to the Panthers, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Chicago received wide receiver DJ Moore, the No. 9 overall pick and the No. 61 overall pick in 2023, Carolina’s first-round pick in 2024 and the Panthers’ second round pick in 2025 in return.