Cam Newton drops Panthers advice on #1 overall pick with Bryce Young, CJ Stroud in the running
Cam Newton was picked first overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers the last time the team owned the top pick. A little over a decade later, the Panthers once again own the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They are once again expected to use it on a quarterback, as they did on Cam Newton after his impressive career with the Auburn Tigers.
The 2023 NFL Draft class is loaded with talent at the quarterback position. As many as five quarterbacks are rumored to be potentially picked within the top 10 this year. The deep quarterback class is headlined by Bryce Young of the Alabama Crimson Tide and CJ Stroud of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Cam Newton is a former NFL MVP who also helped the Panthers reach the Super Bowl. His experience suggests he knows a great deal about the quarterback position, the Panthers organization, and the expectations that come with being a number one overall pick. Cam Newton packaged all of this together when giving his take on who Carolina should select with their top pick this year:
"This is how I judge quarterbacks as a whole. Everybody can throw. Everybody has talent. Everybody has upside. But the thing that everybody doesn't have, and it's simple, it's leadership and can you get a m*****f***** to follow you. If I'm the GM or the head coach, if I'm David Tepper, I'm selecting Bryce Young."
Panthers legend Cam Newton believes the Panthers should take Alabama QB Bryce Young with the fir at overall pick, per sources. https://t.co/DXWlDEm8p4
While Cam Newton mentioned Bryce Young's leadership as the quality that stands out the most, his college career is also the most impressive of any quarterback in the draft class. He's currently favored to be the Panthers' selection when they are on the clock in the first round.
Contrary to Cam Newton, some consider Bryce Young to be a risky pick in the 2023 NFL Draft
Bryce Young is the most accomplished quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft class. He posted an incredible 24-3 overall record as a starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide, while also being a Heisman Trophy winner. His career passing statistics also make him one of the greatest quarterbacks in Alabama history.
Everything about Young's career and playing style would normally make him an easy consensus choice to be the number one overall pick. The issue that some around the NFL are concerned about is his size. He measured just 5'10" tall and weighed 204 pounds at the 2023 NFL Combine. He's severely undersized for a typical NFL quarterback prospect.