The Carolina Panthers pushed their chips to the table during the 2023 NFL Draft in their search for the next superstar quarterback that would take the franchise to great heights. They traded away a slew of assets to the Chicago Bears, including a 2024 first-round pick that has now landed first overall, to secure the right to select first. Alas, the Panthers selected Bryce Young over CJ Stroud despite the plethora of concerns surrounding the former.

Now, that decision looks like a huge misfire for the Panthers. Stroud, in his rookie season, led the Houston Texans to a playoff berth, and he also won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Meanwhile, Young struggled immensely for a Panthers team that finished as the worst team in the NFL. If only the Panthers front office listened to owner David Tepper's wife Nicole, who, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, was a big admirer of the quarterback out of Ohio State.

“If you're the Panthers and you made that trade… and – I like to tease the owner – his wife was a big CJ Stroud person. She likes CJ Stroud,” Schefter said on Barstool's Pardon My Take podcast.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Panthers owner David Tepper, city of Charlotte in background

Alex House ·

Xavier Legette (South Carolina), Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri) both in Panthers jerseys with 2024 NFL Draft background.

Shervon Fakhimi ·

Panthers coach Dave Canales and owner David Tepper surrounded by Chop Robinson, Penn State Xavier Legette, South Carolina, Malachai Corley, Western Kentucky, Ben Sinnott, Kansas State, CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State, Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State, and Dylan McMahon, North Carolina State with a 2024 NFL Draft background.

Tim Crean ·

It's easy to say now that the Panthers should have drafted CJ Stroud, thanks to the benefit of hindsight. Stroud has surpassed every lofty expectation of him in his rookie campaign, and now the Texans look like they have a long-term keeper at quarterback. Meanwhile, the Panthers not only traded away the chance to draft Caleb Williams, who looks like a future star, they also dealt wide receiver DJ Moore (along with other draft picks) for a quarterback in Bryce Young who looks like he needs more time to marinate.

Of course, for the Panthers, it's also not even close to justifiable to make decisions for the franchise based on the preference of the owner's wife. Even David Tepper's opinion, despite being the team owner, shouldn't overrule the decisions made by the front office. Nonetheless, their decision to draft Young over Stroud looks worse and worse with time, although Young still has time on his side to turn things around given that he's only 22 years of age.