Carolina Panthers select Bryce Young No. 1 overall

The Carolina Panthers have their guy.

The Panthers selected Alabama’s Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. Young is the first Crimson Tide player drafted first overall in the modern era of the draft. The only other time a football player was selected with the top pick was 1948 when the Washington Redskins drafted Harry Gilmer. That was more than twenty years before the AFL-NFL merger, in 1970.

We’re all smiles too, Bryce 😁 pic.twitter.com/TMIXgymahv

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 28, 2023

It’s the first Carolins has selected a QB with the top overall pick since Cam Newton in 2011.

Young called the moment he heard his named called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell “surreal”.

“It’s a dream come true. I’m blessed,” Young said. “I want to thank God for allowing me to be here, for my parents and everyone that supported me. Although it’s my name being called, there are so many people that pushed and allowed me to be here. As amazing of a moment as this is, and I am going to try to live in this moment, I can’t wait to get to work.”

Young was 30-4 as a starter during three seasons with the Crimson Tide, throwing for 8,356 yards with 80 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2021.

He is the third Alabama quarterback in the last four years to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft joining Tua Tagovailoa (No. 5 overall to Miami in 2020) and Mac Jones (No. 15 overall to New England in 2021).

With three selections on the opening night of the draft, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban has now produced 49 first-rounders in his career, including 44 at Alabama.