An Unpredictable Spectacle

With that being said, Carolina will have a tough decision on their hands as there are a few other elite prospects.

Another quarterback the Panthers have scouted is Anthony Richardson. The Florida quarterback has displayed elite arm talent and athleticism throughout his college career and the pre draft process. His extraordinary speed paired with his 6’4” 231 pound frame makes him a true generational prospect.

Richardson’s only area of concern is the lack of production in his college career. As a starter for the Gators, Richardson struggled in several games. This past season, he threw for 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions last year. Richardson did use his mobility to add nine rushing touchdowns to his total. If Richardson can fix his decision making and process- ing speed, he can be a generational quarterback in the NFL.

The last quarterback in contention for the first overall pick is Bryce Young. The Alabama signal-caller had the best college career of any quarterback prospect in this year’s draft, going along with a Heisman trophy in 2021. He has drawn comparisons to Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson with his elite scrambling and playmaking abilities. Some of Wilson’s criticisms during his pre draft process are the same for Young.

Young has been ridiculed for his size and it is finally starting to affect the way he is looked at. Standing at just 5’10” and weighing 194 pounds, Young is tremendously undersized for the position.

Overall, Young should be able to play at an elite level in the NFL regardless of his size.

The main concern is his durability. While Young never sustained a serious injury in college, NFL teams are not sure he can play a full season without something happening.

The Houston Texans have the second pick in the NFL Draft and they are likely to choose one of the quarterbacks Carolina does not take. The Texans are said to be high on Bryce Young so their hope is that the Panthers choose Stroud or Richardson first overall.

Houston has also been interested in Alabama defensive end Will Anderson. His unique blend of size, speed, and pass-rush moves makes him a can’t miss prospect.

The Arizona Cardinals are slotted to pick third and have been rumored to want

Will Anderson. If he is available at the third pick, Anderson will likely be a Cardinal.

With the fourth pick in the draft, the Indianapolis Colts will almost certainly draft a quarterback. They are said to be very high on Anthony Richardson.

The Seattle Seahawks have the fifth pick in the draft and are looking to add an edge rusher to the roster. They are considering Tyree Wilson, a speed rusher out of Texas Tech. Wilson uses his 6’6” 276 pound frame to dominate offensive lineman.

The other edge rusher Seattle is considering is the opposite of Wilson. Nolan Smith has become a desired player since his amazing combine. The Georgia pass rusher uses his speed to overcome being undersized. Either way, Seattle should get a great edge rusher for the future.

Every NFL Draft has sleeper picks and this year is set to be the same. Oregon Corner Christian Gonzalez has shot up draft boards since the combine and with good reason; his fluidity allows him to shadow receivers perfectly. The Detroit Lions are expected to pursue him after they parted ways with former third overall pick Jeff Okudah in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons.