With Week 1 just about to get underway, Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich has announced his team captains for the 2023 season, as chosen by the players. And it appears the leadership of Bryce Young from his Alabama days has already translated to the NFL.

The first overall pick was named one of six team captains. Joining him are Brian Burns, Adam Thielen, Johnny Hekker, Taylor Moton, and Shaq Thompson. Moton, Thompson, and Burns have been captains before.

As for Young, he was a two-time captain for the Crimson Tide and knows what it takes to lead by example. The signal-caller is extremely mature for his age, both on and off the field. He's a very professional young man.

While Bryce Young didn't play a whole lot in preseason, Carolina knows what they're getting. There's a reason he was the top selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. The QB is a building block for a franchise looking to get back into contention in the coming years.

It's actually quite rare for a rookie to be named a team captain, but clearly, Young's teammates felt his impact was big enough to be one. CJ Stroud, the second overall pick by the Houston Texans, was also handed the honor.

Expectations will be relatively high for Young in 23′ considering he is the No. 1 pick. It will be interesting to see if he can live up to them, with a lot of scouts saying he's too small to succeed in the league in the pre-draft process.

The Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.