The Panthers traded up for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and then had their choice of all top quarterback prospects. They selected Alabama's Bryce Young above them all on Thursday, finally landing a feasible long-term answer under center. Young figures to be an immediate starter for Carolina, entering the pros with lofty NFL comparisons. But don't tell any of that to Young, who told reporters after his arrival in Charlotte that being the top pick "doesn't entitle me to anything."
"It's surreal for me," Young said Friday, per Panthers.com. "This is an opportunity I don't take lightly. I don't take it for granted. And I know it's a huge blessing. I'm super excited to get to work. I'm super grateful to my parents and everyone who made this possible for me. And I couldn't be more excited to be here, to be a Panther, and I'm ready to get to work.
"I want to do everything I can to earn the respect of my peers and the guys in the locker room in the building," Young continued. "I'm super grateful for what's happened in my past and ... for being selected where I was, but I know that doesn't entitle me to anything. You know, it's on me to prove myself to show up every day and work and earn the respect of the people around me. That's something I'm looking forward to starting."
The Panthers also signed veteran QB Andy Dalton this offseason, but Young still projects as a logical Week 1 starter for the NFC North squad. The rookie believes he's set up to succeed -- and improve as a quarterback -- regardless of when he debuts.
"This coaching staff really, really stuck out to me, honestly, throughout this process," he said. "Even in the short time that I had in the visits here and the short meetings that we were allowed to have, I was able to learn so much in that short time now, being able to be here 24/7, for this to be my job, and I'm super excited for the growth I'm going to have to come to Charlotte."
