The Carolina Panthers are now officially on the clock. Carolina acquired the first overall pick from the Chicago Bears in a trade involving wide receiver DJ Moore. On Friday night, head coach Frank Reich gave his take on the move.
“Excited about this group of young QBs. We think they all have strengths that make them unique and worthy of #1 pick … We have a little over a month to confirm which is the right one for our team,” Reich said in a text message shared by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
The Panthers are now in a position to select any of the top four quarterbacks in the draft. However, many believe there are only two genuine options for the first pick: Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's CJ Stroud.
To that end, it seems a favorite is emerging for Carolina at the top of the draft. Reports indicate the Panthers are leaning towards selecting Stroud when April's draft rolls around.
The Panthers are entering a new era for their franchise. Reich returns to the franchise after a stint with the Indianapolis Colts as their head coach. He was also the first quarterback in the team's history.
Now, they will have a young signal-caller after years of taking fliers on more established options. They traded for Sam Darnold from the New York Jets prior to the 2021 NFL Draft. And they brought back former star Cam Newton during the 2021 season as well due to injury.
Whether the team takes Young or Stroud remains to be seen. In any event, this is a major gamble on behalf of the Panthers. Only time will tell if it pays off.
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