Honestly, if you looked at the 2023 pre-draft cycle, it felt like the entire NFL world was obsessed with two numbers: 5'10" and 204. That was Bryce Young. Before the Carolina Panthers even put him on the clock, we spent months debating whether a human being that size could actually survive a 17-game season of getting chased by 300-pound defensive ends. It was constant. Every podcast, every Twitter thread, every scouting report basically said the same thing—the kid is a genius on the field, but he’s "tiny."
The hype was real, though.
You don't win a Heisman Trophy at Alabama and go 23-4 as a starter by accident. Bryce Young was a point guard playing quarterback. He didn't just throw the ball; he manipulated the entire defense like he had a remote control in his hand. By the time the Bryce Young NFL Draft 2023 story reached its climax, the Carolina Panthers had seen enough to trade a literal king's ransom to the Chicago Bears to get him. They gave up D.J. Moore, the 9th overall pick, a second-rounder, their 2024 first (which ended up being No. 1 overall, ouch), and another second-rounder in 2025.
That is a lot of "chips in" for a guy who weighed in at the combine looking like he’d just finished a heavy Thanksgiving dinner just to hit that 204-pound mark.
The S2 Cognition Test That Changed Everything
While everyone was busy measuring Bryce's height, the real scouts were looking at his brain. This is where the Bryce Young NFL Draft 2023 narrative gets interesting. There’s this thing called the S2 Cognition test. It’s not an IQ test; it’s more about how fast your brain can process visual information and make a decision.
Young scored a 98.
🔗 Read more: South Dakota State Football vs NDSU Football Matches: Why the Border Battle Just Changed Forever
To put that in perspective, that’s basically "supercomputer" territory. C.J. Stroud, who went right after him to the Texans, reportedly struggled with that same test, scoring an 18. Now, looking back from 2026, we know that these tests aren't the end-all-be-all, but at the time? It was the primary reason the Panthers felt comfortable taking the "small" guy over the prototypical Stroud. They figured his brain was so fast he’d never actually get hit.
Why the Panthers Mortgaged the Future
Carolina was in quarterback purgatory. They had cycled through Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Teddy Bridgewater. It was a mess. Frank Reich, who was the coach at the time, and GM Scott Fitterer wanted a franchise savior.
- Accuracy: Bryce was surgical. He finished his Alabama career with 8,356 yards and 80 touchdowns.
- The "It" Factor: He just didn't rattle. You’d see him in the pocket with three guys crashing in, and he’d just duck, slide, and find a receiver 30 yards downfield.
- The Alabama Pedigree: He followed Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, but he was arguably more creative than both.
But let's be real—the trade was massive. Giving up D.J. Moore was the part that hurt the most. You’re bringing in a rookie QB and taking away his best weapon before he even walks through the door. It’s a bold strategy. Some might say it was a desperate one.
The Measurements That Had Scouts Shaking
When Bryce walked onto that scale at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, you could hear a pin drop.
5-foot-10 and 1/8 inches.
💡 You might also like: Shedeur Sanders Draft Room: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
That made him one of the shortest first-round quarterbacks ever. He was basically the same height as Kyler Murray but without the thick, "fire hydrant" build. Young was lean. Scouts called it a "slight frame." Daniel Jeremiah from NFL Network was a fan, but even he had to admit the durability was a massive red flag.
He stayed healthy enough at Alabama, mostly, but he did have a shoulder issue in 2022 that cost him some time. In the NFL, the hits are harder and the season is longer. That was the gamble.
The Draft Night Moment
April 27, 2023. Kansas City.
The pick was never really in doubt by the time Roger Goodell walked onto the stage, but it still felt like a shift in NFL history. When Bryce Young was announced as the No. 1 overall pick, it was a victory for the "point guard" style of play over the "prototype."
He signed a four-year, $37.9 million contract. Fully guaranteed. That’s a lot of pressure for a 21-year-old.
📖 Related: Seattle Seahawks Offense Rank: Why the Top-Three Scoring Unit Still Changed Everything
The problem was, while Bryce was celebrating, the Houston Texans were sitting at No. 2 thinking, "Thanks for leaving us C.J. Stroud." And that’s where the comparison trap started. Every single thing Bryce did—or didn't do—in Carolina was immediately measured against what Stroud was doing in Houston. It’s a tough way to live.
What We Learned from the Bryce Young Era
If you're looking at this from a scouting or fan perspective, there are a few takeaways that still hold up.
First, size matters, but maybe not in the way we think. It’s not just about "can he see over the line?" (Bryce could, because he found lanes). It’s about "can he survive the attrition?" When you have a bottom-tier offensive line, a small quarterback is going to take a beating.
Second, the supporting cast is everything. If you trade away your best receiver (Moore) and your draft picks to get the guy, you better have a plan to protect him.
Actionable Insights for Following Young Prospects:
- Look beyond the height: If a guy has elite processing (like that 98 S2 score), he can overcome physical limits, but he needs a quick-strike offense to stay safe.
- Evaluate the "Cost of Entry": When a team trades multiple first-rounders for a QB, the "success clock" starts ticking immediately. There is no "wait and see" period.
- Context is King: A quarterback's stats are often a reflection of the 10 guys around him. If the O-line is a sieve, even a Heisman winner will look human.
The 2023 draft was a massive experiment in valuing "football IQ" over "prototypical frame." Whether it worked out exactly how the Panthers hoped is still a heated debate in sports bars across Charlotte, but there’s no denying that Bryce Young was one of the most unique prospects we’ve ever seen.
To get a better sense of how he stacks up today, you should check out the current NFL passing leaderboards and see how the 2023 class has aged compared to more recent draftees. Look at the sack percentages specifically—it tells a much deeper story than just passing yards.