CHARLOTTE — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young remains the heavy favorite to be the Carolina Panthers’ choice tomorrow night as the team holds the first pick in the NFL Draft.
If anyone in Charlotte knows Young as well as the Panthers’ coaching staff and front office, it’s ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum, whose coverage on ESPN and the SEC Network leans heavily toward the Crimson Tide, the team Young led in 2021 and 2022.
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Young won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore and finished his career with 80 touchdown passes, second-highest in school history.
Finebaum sees potential for Young to be an NFL star and local favorite — much like former Panthers QB Cam Newton, who also played college football in Alabama at Auburn.
“He’s probably the smartest player I’ve ever been around. He’s in total command of everything,” he said of Young.
And, while talent is the overwhelming primary consideration when drafting quarterbacks, or any other player, Finebaum pointed out that Young brings qualities likely to win over fans — and corporate America.
VIDEO: 2023 NFL Draft: Bryce Young
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