Bryce Young 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Bryce Young NFL Draft Introduction

Young was a star quarterback during his high school football career, starting at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles before transferring to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California for his last two years.

In his senior season, he was honored with numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Player of the Year, California’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year, and the USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year. During his high school career, Young passed for a total of 13,520 yards and 152 touchdowns, and was highly rated as a five-star recruit and the nation’s top quarterback prospect.

Initially committed to playing football at the University of Southern California, Young changed his mind and decided to play for Nick Saban at the University of Alabama. In his first season in the starting role for the Crimson Tide, after sitting behind Mac Jones his freshman year, Young threw for 344 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-13 win over No. 14 Miami.

He also broke the Alabama school record for passing yards in a game with 559 yards against Arkansas. At the end of the 2021 season, Young became the first Alabama quarterback to win the coveted Heisman Trophy.

He won the coveted Heisman Trophy in 2021 and was also a two-time All-American, a Maxwell Award winner. Young’s performance at Alabama has set him apart, leaving him second in career passing yards (8,356) and second in touchdowns (80) in just two years.

Bryce Young NFL Draft

Young’s skills as a quarterback are highlighted by his accuracy and football IQ. He has a unique ability to deliver accurate tight-window throws to all levels of the field and has shown that he can be a quick decision-maker who gets the ball out of his hands quickly.

In the short-passing game, Young is a timing and rhythm thrower who understands the importance of ball placement. He does an excellent job of ball placement and throws crossing routes in a way that receivers can catch the ball in stride. Young’s arm strength and accuracy also shine through in his ability to consistently hit opposite-hash throws and comebacks against one-on-one coverage.

The Alabama quarterback has great eyes downfield and can maneuver around in the pocket to make big plays downfield. Although his arms strength is not off the charts, Young throws in tight windows

Bryce Young forty yard dash- 4.65 seconds

Player Comparison- Joe Burrow

Scouting Report- Strengths

When it comes to the deeper portions of the field, Young’s throws are truly impressive. He is able to mix up ball velocity and tempo to make deep throws and has a natural ability to drop the ball over the receiver’s shoulder or lead them on a deep vertical route. This allows receivers to continue to gain separation and maximize the play.

Young’s football IQ is also evident in his ability to work through his progressions, throw with anticipation, and improvise when necessary. He is a calm quarterback who has an in-depth understanding of the purpose of the offensive play and the defense. Y

Young has quiet feet in the pocket and can get through all progressions without pressure. He has a quick release when he locates an open receiver and has the natural ability to turn a negative situation into a positive play by escaping the pocket and delivering an accurate pass on the run.

Scouting Report- Weaknesses

However, Young’s size may be a concern for his future as an NFL quarterback, and the question remains whether his frame can hold up to the physicality of the NFL. Despite these concerns, Young has consistently played at a high level in the SEC and has shown that his accuracy, ability to read defenses and creativity are all qualities that are translatable to the modern era of playing quarterback in the NFL.

If Bryce Young is not the first quarterback taken in the 2023 NFL draft, size will most likely be the reason why.

Bryce Young 2023 NFL Draft Summary

Bryce Young is a standout quarterback with a unique combination of accuracy and football IQ. He has a remarkable track record, including being the only quarterback in Alabama history to throw for 3,000-plus yards in two seasons and being a finalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award and the Manning Award. Young has proven that he is a high-level performer who can deliver in the clutch, making him a player to watch in the NFL.

Plus Side:

• High football IQ, reads defenses really well
• Unparalleled accuracy, especially on deep passes
• Multiple starting seasons with consistent play at Alabama

Negatives:

• Missed time with shoulder injury
• Size may be a concern
• Arm Strength isn’t elite

Bryce Young will likely be the first QB taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. Some mock drafts have teams trading up with the Bears to get in front of the Texans to draft C.J. Stroud.

We project Stroud as the 2nd QB on our draft big board and rank Young as our top signal caller and our 3rd ranked player overall. Most expect the Alabama Crimson Tide QB will go to the Houston Texans in the first round if another QB-needy team doesn’t leapfrog them in a trade with the Bears.

Regardless of which team selects him, he’ll be their starting quarterback week 1. After many years of excellent team play, but lack of NFL success from their QBs, Alabama has put up a legitimate run of NFL ready passers with Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma as well), Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones.