The Battle for the #1 Pick: Why Chris Simms Remains Skeptical of Bryce Young

As the NFL draft approaches and the debate of who should be the #1 overall pick intensifies, Bryce Young and CJ Stroud remain the centerpiece of discussion. Although some are concerned that Young’s 204 weigh-ins could be bloated, his proponents are convinced that his understanding of the game and intangible winning gene makes up for his diminutive stature. Where there is smoke, there is fire, and that leads us to believe that the Carolina Panthers are eying Bryce Young as the #1 pick in the draft. Conversational momentum has moved towards Bryce Young, and pundits like Peter Schraeger, Peter King, and Albert Breer believe Young is the Panthers’ guy. But as public opinion shifts towards Young, Chris Simms remains unconvinced. Simms wouldn’t take Young over Stroud. He says that Young “scares me…There’s risk there.”

Leading up to the combine, it felt like a quorum was forming for CJ Stroud as the front-runner to be drafted #1 overall. Anthony Richardson’s freak athleticism may have tempted some, but it was a momentary distraction. Young’s diminutive size remained concerning, leaving most to believe that CJ Stroud was Carolina’s guy. However, chatter about Young’s intangibles and unparalleled understanding of the game has gained momentum. Young has now become the Vegas odds-on favorite to be drafted overall, and there is a growing sentiment among the NFL football community that Carolina is ready to make the former Heisman winner the face of the franchise—even if he needs a stool to help him reach the mic at the podium.

Simms believes the Panthers “may be gauging how the fanbase would feel.” Young is worthy of being the #1 pick of the draft, according to Simms, but he states there are “things that concern you about his physical attributes as far just the play on the field and if he can just stay healthy.” Mike Florio brought up that there is just a simple risk that Young can survive against guys who are “100lbs larger.” Simms said he “couldn’t do it with that quarterback….I would just have a hard time picking a quarterback who is 5’10 and 192 lbs.”

Where has all this chatter come from? Are people close to Carolina hearing things, or is this simply the media monster taking a life onto itself? Are these concerns about Young’s stature valid or is this alarmist?

By Tony Dunn, aka @Cat_Chronicles

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