The fall from grace can be swift in the NFL, especially when expectations outweigh reality. One year, you’re the first overall pick, the franchise savior, the man every scout had gushed over since high school. The next, you’re standing on the sidelines, helmet in hand, watching another quarterback take your job just two games into your second season. For a young signal-caller with a $37 million four-year contract and a Heisman Trophy in his back pocket, that’s not exactly the trajectory you’d expect. But this past season, under a new head coach who wasn’t interested in patience, that’s exactly what happened with the former Alabama man. After an ugly 0-2 start where he completed just 31 of 56 passes for 245 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions, the decision was made to sit him down.

His coach, Dave Canales, had seen enough. But before the NFL reality check, let’s rewind. Way back to college, and even before that, high school, where legends are molded. Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young and Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence have been linked for years, each carrying the weight of being a generational talent. That’s why, when 247 Sports’ The Ultimate CFB Show set out to determine the greatest high school football recruit of all time, the debate came down to these two. Greg Biggins and Cooper Petagna found themselves at a crossroads—one favoring the precision and improvisation of Bryce Young, the other leaning toward the towering, golden-armed Lawrence.

“It was painful, but I had to eliminate my SoCal bias,” Biggins admitted. “I think, you know, Coop said it—maybe it was off-camera—but they’re very similar in a lot of ways. Except one guy is 6’4″, and one guy is 5’11”.” That was the difference for Biggins. Both were elite, but Lawrence’s frame gave him the edge. “Trevor does everything well the way Bryce does,” he said, “but I put a 6’4″ guy with an absolute run.” Petagna, though, wasn’t willing to let Young’s high school dominance be overshadowed by size. “I’m gonna go with the SoCal bias. I’m gonna go with Bryce,” he argued. To him, Young was more electric, more creative, and more dynamic.

“Watching Bryce Young do the things that he has done throughout his high school career, throughout his collegiate career, and now hopefully, hopefully getting back on track with Dave Canales in Carolina,” he said, was simply different. But it wasn’t just the production—it was the obstacles Young overcame.

“For him to even be the number one ranked quarterback—I know that sounds crazy,” Petagna said. “People here, we work with the company that made those decisions. We know the philosophy—the scouting philosophy of all NFL evaluators. That’s what they want. They wanted Trevor Lawrence. They want a 6’4″ or a 6’5″ guy…..” But Bryce is slender, 185 pounds. To have to compensate at the level that he did is pretty remarkable. It’s not just that Young was great—it’s that he was great in a way that defied traditional quarterback archetypes. Biggins wasn’t dismissing Young’s greatness—far from it. He acknowledged that Young’s feel for the game was uncanny, his ability to escape pressure and make throws with anticipation unmatched.

“Talk about playmaking,” Biggins said. “In our class, in the back of my head, I was wondering, ‘Can this guy physically hold up? He’s gonna get pounded in the SEC, the NFL.’” And yet, Young always found a way. His instincts were elite. His processing speed is elite. His leadership is elite. “Bryce Young, Trevor Lawrence—maybe not the NFL field that Bryce had for the position, escape, wouldn’t stay in there when the climate growing with anticipation, I’ve ever seen with that.” But at the end of the day, when faced with choosing one, Biggins defaulted to the prototype. “I just felt there’s a lot of the same things that Bryce did. And so he was more of the no-brainer, right?”

Holding family ties with the Young family Greg finally joined hands; he admitted he saw something deeper in too. “Bryce is unique, man,” he said. “Bryce is special.” And to him, that uniqueness came from more than just talent. It was his upbringing, his mindset, and his ability to command a team even in the worst circumstances. “Quarterback dads have always said this for a lot of years—it’s the nuttiest position on the planet,” he said. “And Bryce is the way he is because of his parents, the way he was raised.” That leadership, that toughness—it was evident even after Young was benched in Carolina.

“You saw it last week. He was benched, right? What did he do after they won? He’s there giving everybody a handshake,” Biggins said. “The guy has never been hurt. Talking about Steph Curry. I love the Steph Curry comp, because, you know, he didn’t play basketball in high school, but Bryce was an elite basketball player prior. And you see him play football; you know, he’s kind of like no look throws.” In other words, Young wasn’t just a quarterback. He was an artist, a magician with the pigskin, a player who made the impossible look routine.

After closing arguments from Biggins and Petagna, host Emly Proud made her choice clear: “I’m picking Bryce Young to be the No. 1 prospect.” Now, with a new coach, a new system, and a fresh start, 2021 college MVP Bryce Young has a chance to rewrite the narrative in his fourth year in Carolina. His talent hasn’t changed.

Bryce Young’s NFC South ranking & the Panthers’ plan to add speed

It’s early in the NFL offseason, but let’s be honest—it’s never too early to rank quarterbacks. Sports Illustrated stacked up the NFC South’s starting QBs, and Bryce Young landed at No. 2, sitting just behind Baker Mayfield of the Buccaneers.

Young, the former Alabama star, had an up-and-down rookie season. In 14 games, he put up 2,403 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, completing 60.9% of his throws. While those numbers weren’t jaw-dropping, he showed flashes of the playmaking ability that made him a No. 1 overall pick.

After a 5-12 season and continued playoff struggles, the Panthers are looking to help their young QB by adding some serious speed on the outside. According to Pro Football Network, Carolina is projected to select Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 57 pick. Bond’s elite speed could be exactly what Young needs—a true deep threat to stretch the field and open things up.