Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud Set for Oct. 29 Meeting Between Top Two Picks
News 5/11/23
Something is always trending when it comes to the NFL, and one of the main trends of the past two decades is having highly drafted quarterbacks take the reins early in their pro careers.
Look for that to occur again this season, particularly for the Carolina Panthers with Bryce Young and the Houston Texans with C.J. Stroud. Indeed, the top two selections in the 2023 NFL Draft will face off this year in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 29.
That might be the least challenging of matchups for former Alabama QB Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, and ex-Ohio State star Stroud. But it almost certainly will be the most hyped.
The Texans won’t have a bit of an edge, though they will be coming off a bye before heading to Carolina; the Panthers also are off the previous week.
Stroud already will have faced three potentially difficult defenses: the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. Young also will have played New Orleans, but not one of the Panthers' other early opponents is defense-oriented. So his progression at that point – assuming he and Stroud start from Day 1 – could be advanced in comparison to his fellow rookie quarterback.
That same Sunday features such high-profile contests as the Cincinnati Bengals vs. the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams vs. the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Jets vs. the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings vs. the Green Bay Packers.
Still, any meeting of the top two selections in the draft, particularly when they are quarterbacks, is intriguing.
The Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, but it’s a stretch to expect fourth-overall pick Anthony Richardson to be starting behind center for the Colts that soon – or perhaps even all season. Will Levis, who slipped to the second round and was the fourth quarterback chosen, also figures to be a backup when the Tennessee Titans take on the Colts in Week 5. Perhaps deeper into the schedule, say Dec. 3 when the Colts visit the Titans, Richardson and/or Levis might be on the field.
Oddly, Young’s Panthers follow the meeting with Stroud’s Texans by playing the Colts, and on Nov. 26, they are at the Titans.
By late October, Young should have established a strong rapport with veteran WR Adam Thielen, TE Hayden Hurst and RB Miles Sanders. Stroud must hope he is in a similar situation, though he doesn’t appear to have as much of a supporting cast on offense.
Rich Gannon, who quarterbacked the Oakland Raiders to the 2002 AFC title and was league MVP, likes the idea Carolina brought in a seasoned veteran in Andy Dalton. Rushing Young and Stroud would be a major mistake, Gannon insists.
“He has to earn the respect and the trust of his team,” Gannon said of Young, “and you do that by the actions on the field. Are you able to make all the calls in the huddle, are you able to make all the checks at the line of scrimmage? How does he do in the OTAs and mini-camps in competitive situations, in ones vs. ones? How has he performed in late-in-game types of situations?
“We don’t want to put the quarterback out there unless he is able to properly function.”
Barry Wilner was a sportswriter for the Associated Press for 46 years. He has covered virtually every major sporting event, including 14 Olympics, 9 World Cups, 34 Super Bowls, the World Series, and the Stanley Cup Final, and has written 75 books. Follow him on Twitter @Wilner88