Panthers coach Frank Reich says he's not worried whether Bryce Young can see the field

Frank Reich and the Panthers offensive staff scrutinized game tape on Bryce Young in the lead-up to the draft. There really was only one major question about the former Alabama star. Was he tall enough to see the field?

Young stands only 5-foot-10. When the season starts, he’ll be the shortest starting quarterback in the NFL. Once Arizona’s Kyler Murray returns to the Cardinals lineup, the two quarterbacks will be tied as the shortest.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Reich talked about how he made sure Young would be OK throwing passes against NFL defenders. During OTAs and mini camps, the head coach stood directly behind his quarterback so he could set his eyes and see the same plays unfolding.

“I’m only one person, but we wouldn’t have drafted him if we had major concerns about that,” Frank Reich says of Bryce Young. “And we didn’t. But it’s one thing to say, Oh no, we’re good, you can see it on film. He sees the field real easy. People can say what they want about 5’10”-and change, but the guy’s done it his whole life. We’ve seen that on film so we’re going to believe the tape.

“So I believed the tape,” Reich said. “But now I’ve seen it in person. I’ve been around football enough to know that I do think that there are some shorter guys that do have a problem seeing. But maybe it’s not that they’re shorter, maybe it’s because they just can’t see. I don’t know. All I know is standing behind Bryce, I never felt like he didn’t see that one because the offensive lineman was in his way. That just never happened.”

Young and the rest of the Panthers rookies reported to training camp this past Saturday. The veterans arrive today, with the first preseason practice scheduled for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Young has been answering questions about his height for years. His small stature never appeared to bother his game when he was winning the Heisman at Alabama. Of course, defensive players are larger and faster in the NFL.

“I always look at it as – I only know one way how to play the quarterback position, being this size relative to everyone around me,” Young said the day he was drafted No. 1. “So I don’t really look at it as an advantage or disadvantage. I think I would have to know another perspective to know that.

He added: “For me, I try to focus on myself and be the best version of myself, day in and day out. So for me, I know that size has been something that everyone wants to talk about but I’ve never thought about it. I’ve never thought about, how am I gonna navigate this? What am I gonna do differently? I only know how to play it one way – so honestly, disadvantage, advantage – it’s just me and how I know how the play the position.”