The 2023 NFL draft went down between two great college quarterbacks. It was CJ Stroud vs Bryce Young.
The Carolina Panthers decided to go for Young, and they had an interesting reason for picking him.
"Bryce is the guy we want our players looking at, knowing this is the guy that can get it done for us. We can win with this guy," general manager Scott Fitterer said when asked to explain their decision.
He added that they looked at the "social part" of Young, saying they learned to know about the person, too, not just the player.
Ten weeks on, would Carolina fans say Fitterer's guts were correct? The Panthers management itself is no longer a believer. The team fired their head coach, Frank Reich, and rumors have it that Fitterer could be next.
Many point to the Panthers' dismal record ever since he took over in 2021, and he fumbled the 2023 draft by drafting Young over CJ Stroud, who landed with the Houston Texans.
They are both still rookies, but there are three reasons Panthers camp and fans feel envious of the Texans.
1. CJ Stroud vs Bryce Young stats
Let us be the hated Excel guy's advocate and say numbers don't lie. Stroud's statistics are better than that of Young in almost all departments. He is putting up one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history.
Young has been more accurate in the first half of the season, but in terms of covered yards, Stroud's 2,270 is way better than the Panthers' QB's 1,375. The latter also owns the Pass TD, 14 vs 8, and the passer rating, 102.9 against 77.1.
These statistics may not compare to what accomplished QBs do day-in and day-out, but they speak a lot about Stroud's readiness for the professional league.
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2. Stroud has more moments
It is not easy to take away the spotlight from veteran QBs, but Stroud managed to do that in Week 9 with a game-winning touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.
The play even earned the reaction of firebrand commentators Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield thought he had already iced the game with a 10-play, 61-yard drive that led to a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton. The score was 37-33 for Tampa Bay with under a minute to go.
However, two-time Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year Stroud had other things in mind.
The rookie orchestrated a six-play, 75-yard drive and targeted Tank Dell, who rushed to a 15-yard touchdown, earning their team six points to pull off a 39-37 victory.
3. Better fit with team
The system is probably the other reason why Stroud is having a better season than Young.
Some players are so talented that they impact the game right away, but others excel because they are with a team that utilizes their talent more effectively.
Stroud is a young, talented man, and it helps that coach DeMeco Ryans is giving him the license to learn on the job. Ryans even compared Stroud to NBA MVP Stephen Curry for the high-volume throws he does each game.
"I love CJ's attitude about him continuing to shoot like Curry, and that's the only way you continue to get better," Ryans told reporters last week.
"You learn from your mistakes, and you continue to attack it, and that's how I want CJ to approach the game. I want him to approach the game with an 'attack first' mindset, and we're not going to hold back just because he made mistakes."
Stroud also has rising quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson, who once worked with Kevin O'Connell and Kirk Cousins at the Minnesota Vikings.
For Young's part, it does not help that there was a change in the coaching staff in his rookie year. The offensive line protects Stroud, but the Panthers barely do it for Young.
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