Who was the first pick of the 2023 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers?
In the modern NFL it is exceedingly difficult to make the wrong choice when a team has the first overall selection. Please do not misunderstand, it can happen, it even has happened before, but the odds are with steam much more than they are as it gets deeper and deeper into the draft. It becomes even more difficult to get the pick wrong when a team trades into the position rather than being awarded the pick. I say this because the team trading into the pick must be overwhelmingly secure in their feeling or the logic put into selecting “their guy”. Sometimes, so much so, they will stick with a first overall pick through thick and thin, giving an inordinate amount of chances for such a player to prove himself as a success and, by default, showing the team did not make a mistake.
However, the high-profile nature of this type of trade will also often subject the drafted player to an elevated level of scrutiny, perhaps unfairly so in some instances. I bring all of this to the forefront because this draft class saw just such a move when the Carolina Panthers obtained the first pick in this draft class from the Chicago Bears in return for wide receiver DJ Moore, the Panthers’ 2023 first round selection, as well as a second round pick, their 2024 first round pick, and their 2025 second round pick. Through various trades, Chicago obtained an additional fourth round pick in 2024 as well. The first round pick that Carolina obtained ultimately was used to draft quarterback Bryce Young – Alabama.
Young was very likely the right pick out of the top four quarterbacks available in this draft class due to his skill set, winning pedigree, and his credentials as a Heisman Trophy winner. The college career he built at Alabama is nothing short of amazing and, prior to the draft, he held one of the top two spots in all but the most bombastic and purposefully controversial draft analysts out there. Simply put, he was undoubtedly the safe choice, and the right choice for Carolina.
Bryce Young alternating snaps with the first team. pic.twitter.com/Yw4eDgBHGA
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) May 22, 2023
The one drawback that is commonly lobbed at Young by his detractors has to do with his rather limited size. Measuring into the NFL Combine at just 5’-10” tall while weighing 205 pounds, he assumes the title of the smallest quarterback taken with the first overall pick, a distinction previously held by Kyler Murray who stands the same height as Young, but who outweighs him by just two pounds. This diminutive size has given many fans and analysts pause as it relates to the long-term success and durability of the new play caller for the Panthers. These concerns were only addressed exasperated when Murray himself suffered an ACL tear last season. Yes, the ACL was a non-contact injury, meaning it could have occurred to anyone in the same situation, however, critics rarely need sound logic or reasoning to make such injuries fit their narrative.
Additionally, the Panthers were put in a bit of a quandary as they had a paradoxical decision to make in acquiring Young. Do they trade away their top wide receiver in order to obtain a top rookie quarterback, leaving that player without a clear number one receiver, or do they keep their top receiver and never fully utilize his potential due to a string of subpar quarterbacks throwing to him. Obviously, Carolina opted to make the trade but, immediately after, they found themselves faced with that exact dilemma.
Who did the Carolina Panthers select in this years draft?
Thankfully, it appears the Panthers had a plan in place. While Carolina did trade a second-round pick to the Bears as part of the aforementioned trade, that pick was a selection they obtained from San Francisco as part of a trade that sent running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers. The Panthers maintained their own second round selection, the 39th overall. With this pick they selected wide receiver Jonathan Mingo – Ole Miss, in a clear attempt to bolster their passing game and to provide Young with a wide receiver he will be able to develop with. While I think Mingo could have been available at least a full round later, and that there may have been options with greater upside available at this point in the draft, the value is not horrible. While Mingo is unlikely to step into a starting role this season, without an injury to one of the wide receivers ahead of him on the depth chart, namely Terrace Marshall, D.J. Chark, and Adam Thielen, he could slide into the starting line up as soon as next season as Chark will be a free agent after this season.
INGLEWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 30: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates after an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams on October 30, 2022 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)
In the third round, with the 80th over all pick, Carolina added their first defensive player of the draft with the selection of edge rusher DJ Johnson – Oregon. Johnson was not even a player I had viewed as being drafted, assuming he would be undrafted and added as a free agent due in significant part to his limited production throughout college, the fact he is set to turn 25 years old this season, and an issue in which he punched a fan from Oregon State. This pick is a bit of a head-scratcher for me in all honesty as there were many edge rushers still on the board that made significantly more sense than Johnson as a Day Two pick. The Panthers currently have both Brian Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos as their starters, both of which are on the last year of their respective contracts. Yes, the team is wise to focus on adding a player that could step in as a starter by next season but, Johnson has significant areas of his game that need refinement, areas that are unlikely to be ready for a starting role within the span of a single year. While not optimal, Carolina may have been better off waiting to draft a younger edge rusher, perhaps at an earlier pick, in the draft next year.
Day Three was all but vacated by the Panthers as they made just two picks over four rounds, those selections were offensive guard Chandler Zavala – NC State (pick 114), and safety Jammie Robinson – Florida State (pick 145).
Zavala figures to be a depth pick that has the potential to start his in his rookie season due to a torn ACL suffered late last season by Austin Corbett. If Corbett is able to make a return from his injury at some point this season, Zavala may be relegated to a back-up role. Nonetheless, you have to respect the team for identifying and making a value selection, especially when it comes to a player that played his college ball in-state.
Robinson was an amazing value in my book as I had him graded as a Day Two prospect and the Panthers were able to land him midway through the fifth-round. While initially Robinson figures to be a depth selection behind the duo of Vonn Bell and Xavier Woods, he could see some playing time in either nickel or dime packages. He also has the potential to step into a starting role at any point in the next few seasons as Woods is on the team-friendly side of his contract, meaning the team could actually save money by parting ways with him. While I do not expect that to happen before the end of this season, the potential does, nonetheless, exist.
What grade did the Carolina Panthers get in this years draft?
Carolina found a way to thread the needle when it comes to getting value out of the draft both in the short and long-term. The obvious short-term value lays heavily on how well Young ultimately performs. I am optimistic as it relates to his ability to acclimate to, and perform in, the NFL. Additionally, Mingo should be able to contribute, in a limited fashion, in four wide receiver sets. The Panthers, as such, get a solid A grade when it comes to short-term value. Conversely, I actually like the long-term value of their class a bit more than I do in relation to the short-term value it presents. All five players that were selected in this draft class have the potential to see playing time as a starter within the next two to three seasons. The team found a way to identify players that can contribute in, at worst, a limited fashion, even as a rookie, and who could grow into reliable starters within the span of the first half of their rookie contracts. Therefore, the long-term value grade the team receives for their efforts is an A+.
