CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud?
C.J. Stroud over Bryce Younger?
The ones are the questions going through the Carolina Panthers as they make a decision which quarterback they’ll shoot with the Negative. 1 select within the NFL draft on April 27 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN App).
Many within the league who have been interviewed imagine it is going to be Stroud, most commonly for the reason that former Ohio Surrounding quarterback, at 6-foot-3 and 214 kilos, suits the bodily stature that first-year Carolina schoolteacher Frank Reich is acquainted with operating with.
None of Reich’s quarterbacks the age 17 years has been shorter than 6-2.
Many others interviewed imagine Alabama’s Younger (5-10, 204) assessments extra subjects.
“Bryce is a better player despite his size,” said one NFL executive, echoing the thoughts of others speaking on condition of anonymity.
Said another, “With Bryce, it’s juiceless to poke holes.”
Unknown is whether or not the early buzz that Reich may favor the larger Stroud over Younger used to be a smokescreen or whether or not issues over Younger’s measurement and sturdiness (regardless of foundation 27 of a imaginable 28 video games over the age two seasons) truly would be the deciding issue for Carolina.
What is understood, consistent with entrance administrative center resources with wisdom of the condition, is the Panthers traded from No. 9 to No. 1 with the intent of drafting Younger or Stroud, despite the fact that publicly, staff officers have incorporated Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis within the combine. Basic supervisor Scott Fitterer and Reich — and everybody else concerned within the Panthers’ procedure — say they’re at the identical web page and don’t look ahead to a dispute with the overall choice.
Let’s shoot a better take a look at what separates Younger and Stroud as Carolina evaluates which standards will raise probably the most weight when making the overall name.
Management and personality
Those are two of the primary issues Reich mentions when requested what he’s searching for in a quarterback.
“Marv Levy, when I used to play for him, he would always say, ‘Give me high-character players who have good football intelligence — and they’re always going to figure out how to get better,”’ Reich said of the former Buffalo Bills coach.
Young and Stroud are humble and confident. That came off at their respective pro days when they declined to make an argument for being the No. 1 pick.
“I don’t have any arguments [for why I should be the top pick],” Younger mentioned at his professional hour. “I try to be myself. I want to present myself in the best light. Where I’m picked, who picks me, I’ll be grateful for whatever team that takes a chance on me.”
Said Stroud, “It’s now not my process [to make a case for being the top pick]. My process is to be as highest as I will as myself. No matter occurs, occurs. It’s now not in my regulate.”
What they’re pronouncing
Reich: “Different styles of leadership, but both, really good leaders. And one of the jobs as a leader is to create moments. Not just on the field. As a leader, you can’t manufacture those. It has to happen organically. And you have to have that leadership instinct and sense to know when to seize the moment, to know when to step up and create that moment. Those guys you can see have that.”
Ohio State coach Ryan Day on Stroud: “He has the best make-up, simply when it comes to who he’s as an individual, his management and his talent to deal with himself in a certified means.”
Unnamed NFL govt: “Bryce would be my pick just watching them both play football, smarts, leadership.”
Pocket presence, escapability and playmaking
In terms of handling pressure, both excelled the past two seasons, but Young was significantly better.
During that stretch, according to ESPN Stats & Information, Young ranked first in passing yards (2,132), passing touchdowns (24) and completions of 20-plus yards (34) when under pressure. Stroud ranked 16th in total yards (1,364) and passing touchdowns (15), and was 20th in completions of 20-plus yards (20).
The big difference is Stroud seldom had to make plays outside the pocket for the Buckeyes because his protection was so good. He never had a game with more than eight rushes in his career.
Younger steadily needed to ad-lib as a result of breakdowns in the back of a order that for Alabama used to be substandard, but his manufacturing didn’t undergo.
In 2022, Alabama’s offensive order allowed a quarterback drive inside 2.5 seconds 9.9% of the future, which ranked twenty ninth within the nation. Ohio Surrounding’s order ranked seventeenth at 8%. Then again, Alabama ranked eightieth in drive price allowed at 29.2%, and OSU ranked twenty second at 23.4%.
Nonetheless, partially as a result of Younger’s mobility and talent to steer clear of sacks, Alabama had a decrease sack proportion: 7.5% to OSU’s 8.0%.
When it comes to manufacturing, Younger completed with the perfect General QBR score out of doors the region (95.7) of the 98 FBS quarterbacks who tried no less than 250 passes in 2022. Stroud ranked forty ninth at 69.0.
What they’re pronouncing
Stroud: “When I need to extend plays, I can extend them just as far as anybody else in the country.”
Jim Nagy, CEO of the Senior Bowl and a longtime NFL scout: “[For] C.J., you’re truly pointing in opposition to the utmost couple of video games of the yr when he appeared to put all of it in combination. For those who take a look at the entire frame of labor, I may have some questions on one of the vital out-of-pocket really feel and consciousness … issues Bryce does truly smartly.”
Todd McShay, ESPN draft analyst: “With Bryce, you get a player that can extend plays and create magic inside and outside the pocket.”
Jordan Reid, ESPN analyst and former college quarterback: “[Bryce] can execute you from within the region. He can beat you from out of doors the region, however it’s his poise that I’m so shocked with.”
Peyton Manning sees somewhat of @JoeyB in @AlabamaFTBL‘s @_bryce_young. pic.twitter.com/tzmUALfmhW
— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) April 11, 2023
Skill to procedure and look ahead to
Stroud finished 66.3% of his move makes an attempt for 85 touchdowns with 12 interceptions the age two seasons. Younger finished 65.8% for 80 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
However their processing sticks out probably the most when confused or blitzed.
Since 2013, quarterbacks with a profession school General QBR above 30 when confused come with Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones. In 2022, Stroud had a General QBR when confused of 30.6 and 85.3 when blitzed. Younger’s General QBR used to be 30.1 when confused and 89.9 when blitzed.
However this stands proud up to the rest mentioned all through the method: Each Saban and Fitterer mentioned Younger’s processing used to be “off the charts.”
As complimentary as Fitterer was about Stroud at his pro day, his comment in regards to Young’s processing was telling.
What they’re saying
Saban on Young: “He performs quarterback like some degree cover.”
Time on Stroud: “What I’ve shared with some of the [Panthers’] personnel and some of the folks that I’ve met with here is, you know, if you can handle being the quarterback at Ohio State, you can handle being in the NFL.”
McShay: “With Bryce Younger, it’s like observing Steph Curry in basketball. … The entirety is so gradual in the way in which they procedure issues so briefly and notice the entire grassland or the entire courtroom is so homogeneous.”
Nagy: “Bryce just, he plays the position with a calm that is really hard to find. … He has a lot of things you can’t coach [that Young knows] instinctively.”
What’s “processing”?
Be told it on paper-feel it in a recreation!!@_bryce_young has BY FAR the most productive really feel on this class-to any spot at the grassland #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/l4B1aVoFgJ
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) April 12, 2023
Arm strength
There has never been a question about Stroud’s arm strength. He can throw deep and accurately without much effort.
Fitterer left Alabama’s pro day saying Young’s arm strength was better than he thought. His performance at the pro day also confirmed that he can throw exceptionally well from different arm angles and maintain velocity.
It’s the accuracy that will carry more weight, according to those who know Reich, and both quarterbacks have shown that.
On throws of 21-plus yards in 2022, Stroud completed 50% of his attempts, compared to 45% for Young. But where Young had the edge was in off-target throws of 21-plus yards. He had an NCAA-best 25% off-target rate, while Stroud was at 32.7%.
In terms of short and intermediate throws in 2022, Young was off target on only 1.8% of his tries from 10 or fewer yards and 11.9% on throws from 11 to 20 yards. Stroud was at 6% and 17%.
“[Reich values] what all of us worth in quarterbacks … having the ability to throw with accuracy; having the ability to manufacture just right, fast choices; having the ability to prolong performs and having arm energy just right plethora so as to pierce the breeze,” Philadelphia Eagles schoolteacher Nick Sirianni mentioned.
What they’re pronouncing
McShay: “C.J. is the best pure pocket passer with a bigger build.”
Nagy on Young: “He’s were given a reside arm. I’ve discoverable him play games a number through the years. I’ve discoverable him in several camps throw it. Even [former Alabama quarterback] Mac Jones used to be popping out, and Bryce can be put into past due video games, blowouts, there used to be an uptick within the ball speed even in comparison to Mac.”
1:10
Why Riddick sees C.J. Stroud because the ‘gem’ of the 2023 QB category
Louis Riddick breaks i’m sick why C.J. Stroud is his favourite quarterback of the 2023 NFL draft.
Dimension/sturdiness
This a part of the analysis will probably be essential.
Reich has made it unclouded sturdiness is a larger worry than top with Younger. How a lot he elements in top is the thriller.
“That would be like giving out the proprietary formula for Kentucky Fried Chicken,” Reich said when asked how much quarterback height will be a factor.
He added there aren’t enough quarterbacks under 6 feet who have started in the NFL to have analytics on the injury risk of a 5-10 quarterback.
When asked about Young’s durability, Reich turned to Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison (6-0, 185) and working again Barry Sanders (5-8, 203) for comparisons of small players at other positions who avoided big injuries because of their ability to avoid big hits.
Reich also reminded he had a “very top grade” on Russell Wilson (5-11) when the Seattle Seahawks drafted him within the 3rd spherical in 2011. Fitterer used to be a part of the chief staff that made that select, so he’s pleased with a smaller quarterback.
However measurement is why ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, a 6-5 quarterback who performed for Reich in Indianapolis in 2011, and others interviewed imagine Stroud is also Carolina’s select.
“The size, just candidly, it’s just the size argument,” Orlovsky said. “While you proceed as much as Negative. 1, you’re looking to get a difference-maker. You’re additionally looking to be risk-averse in some sides. There may be extra threat of taking Bryce than C.J. as a result of the scale.”’
In virtually the similar breath, Orlovsky reminded that Reich has been across the recreation lengthy plethora to comprehend fashionable NFL groups can be successful with smaller, extra cell quarterbacks, so top received’t essentially be a priority.
The collection of begins via NFL quarterbacks 6-1 or shorter has grown over the age decade from 54 in 2013 to 107 in 2022.
Orlovsky made the similar argument for deciding on Younger that he made for the Cincinnati Bengals to shoot LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (6-4) with the manage select in 2020.
“You take Joe Burrow as the No. 1 pick because he never panics,” he recalled. “When you have the facility to not panic with the soccer, you will have a probability to be a different participant. And that’s what Bryce is.”
What they’re pronouncing
Saban on Younger: “There’s really no negatives. The only real negative anybody could bring is his height.”
Nagy on Young: “Preferably, would you are feeling higher if Bryce have been 6-2? In fact you can. However there may be plethora compensating stuff with the instincts, the place he doesn’t put himself in hurt’s approach a number, that he’s virtue it. With Bryce, it’s tough to poke holes in his recreation past the scale factor.”
Base order
The Panthers hope to get a long-term option to a long-term quarterback factor whether or not they shoot Younger or Stroud.
“Bryce is the best pick; Stroud is the safer pick,” said McShay, echoing what others said. “On paper, C.J.’s constructed to utmost longer within the NFL as opposed to Younger, who can prolong and build and has this presence and grassland visible like refuse alternative on this category.
“If he used to be 6-2, 220 kilos, there can be refuse dialog. Bryce Younger would obviously be the Negative. 1 quarterback on this category.”
