Mel Kiper Jr. is one of the most highly regarded NFL Draft analysts in the industry.
He has analyzed collegiate prospects for over 30 years, with no signs of slowing down.
Kiper has recently released his fourth mock draft of the offseason, which included the first four picks as quarterbacks.
The top pick in this mock was Bryce Young, as Kiper projects that he will be taken by the Carolina Panthers.
In a recent radio appearance with Paul Finebaum, Kiper explained his rationale.
“The consensus among my people, my friends in the league, was Young,” said Kiper.
All the talk about this year’s #NFLDraft is at the top. @MelKiperESPN walks us through why he thinks Bryce Young will be the No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/RDjgFOBNxJ
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) April 13, 2023
While Kiper wouldn’t commit to writing this pick in pen, so to speak, he did express confidence that this is what the Panthers are going to do.
The Panthers have faced instability at quarterback since the early days of Cam Newton.
With the number one overall pick in hand, the Panthers have an opportunity to change the trajectory of their team for the foreseeable future.
Whether they believe that Young is the player to do that, remains to be seen.
However, given Kiper’s inside information, and the multitude of sources that he has, this does seem like credible information.
Hiring Frank Reich as the Panthers’ head coach has given many fans hope, building for the future.
With any luck, a combination of their offseason additions, a new coaching regime, and a rookie quarterback, the Panthers will be able to compete in 2023 and beyond.
