The No. 1 player on most people’s big boards, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is one of the most fascinating quarterback prospects we’ve seen in years. The reason I say that? If you ignore his size, he might be the best prospect in terms of everything else we have seen in a long time. His poise, his intelligence, his accuracy — they’re all truly elite.
The problem?
He’s 5’10,” and the 204 pounds he weighed in at during the combine isn’t his “normal” weight. In most people’s minds (mine included), it’s a serious question as to whether or not a guy who will likely play under 200 pounds can hold up against bigger, faster and stronger defenders at the next level.
And yet, the fact that we’re even talking about Young in the range we are tells you just how special everything else about this guy really is.
I was recently watching highlights from his game against Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl, and I was reminded specifically about how special his pocket awareness is. He just looks like a guy who sees everything in slow motion — making slight adjustments to his positioning to buy an extra half-second and then hitting an open receiver perfectly in stride. In just that game alone, he does it multiple times — often for big gains because he has allowed his receiver to move into an even more advantageous position before catching the ball.
He’s never flustered, he’s rarely off the mark, and he has proof on tape that he can hit every throw asked of him — all while playing in the collegiate conference that offers the highest level of competition.
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 204
40-yard-dash: NA
Bench Press: NA
Vertical jump: NA
Broad jump: NA
College stats: 8,356 yards, 80 TD, 12 INT, 65.8% completions; 162 rushing yards, 7 TD
Young chose not to participate in many of the combine drills simply because he didn’t have anything to prove (he also may not have tested well given how much weight he put on). As far as production goes, Young played for one of the best programs in the country for two-and-a-half seasons, so it’s no surprise to see such huge numbers. While the first season and a half featured NFL-caliber receivers like Jameson Williams, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and others — this past season boasted a far more pedestrian group, and yet Young’s remained impressive (even if it dipped a bit).
VERDICT: PICK (More Like TRADE UP)
The truth is, the Las Vegas Raiders likely won’t have the chance to pick Young unless they moved up and got lucky — but if they did, this would be a no-brainer. Yes, he’s short and slight, but what he does with both his ball placement and his maneuverability within the pocket is Patrick Mahomes-type stuff, and so I think he’s worth the gamble of trading up for.
