Getty Image / Kevin Abele
Since the start of the NFL offseason there have only been a few names that have been considered as real contenders to be the 1st pick in this year’s draft.
When the Bears owned the pick, there was the possibility that they could select Will Anderson or Jalen Carter, but the expectation was that they would trade the pick to somebody looking for a quarterback.
They ended up making that trade with the Carolina Panthers. Since the Panthers acquired pick 1, there have only been 2 names brought up as the potential top pick in the draft.
Those 2 are Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, who are widely believed to be the top 2 quarterbacks in the draft class.
Now there’s another player who could be joining that mix.
According to The Athletic’s Joseph Person, the Panthers are considering selecting Anthony Richardson with the top pick in the draft.
Panthers Twitter appears to dislike the idea of Anthony Richardson at No. 1. Agreed.
But what about at 2 if the Texans offer a haul to move up?
Something to chew on over lunch:https://t.co/SskQ9UZeKT— Joe Person (@josephperson) April 13, 2023
The Panthers actually taking Richardson over both Young and Stroud would be a truly shocking move.
Young and Stroud are believed to be in a tier of their own in this quarterback class.
Anthony Richardson’s size, arm strength, and athleticism are all things that would certainly appeal to scouts, but Young and Stroud both proved to be much better quarterbacks in college.
Both of them put up gaudy numbers for the last two years while Richardson spent 2021 on the bench behind Emory Jones and then struggled statistically in 2022.
Young and Stroud both appear to be safer options at the NFL level, which should be an important consideration for the Panthers, who haven’t had reliable QB play for a few years now.
Their coach reportedly wants Stroud. Their owner reportedly wants Bryce Young. The Carolina Panthers should leave this year’s draft with one of those two as their franchise QB.