FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – OCTOBER 1: Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up before a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defeated the Razorbacks 49-26. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Ahead of Bryce Young’s final game with Alabama, it’s not too early to look ahead to his pro prospects. The NFL Draft is just a few months away.
Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud will battle it out in early 2023 to determine which quarterback is selected first overall, and which will be relegated to JUST a top-5 pick. Life is tough as a top QB prospect, isn’t it?
Young possesses arguably the best overall skillset, but his height and slight frame could leave some NFL general managers weary of what, exactly, they’re trading for — and whether they can count on the Alabama product long-term. After all, when selecting a franchise QB, the best-case scenario is that they lead said team for much of the next decade.
Stroud has a solid skillset but wasn’t forced to read through his progressions often at Ohio State, which features one of the best receiving corps in the country. Still, he is an elite QB prospect, and looks the part at 6-3 as compared to the shorter Young.
There is no ‘loser’ in this duo, as any team would be lucky to select either one of them. That being said, some surprise franchises could get in on the mix come draft day. Let’s look at the NFL mock draft.
NFL mock draft: Could the Patriots trade up?
It’s not secret that the Patriots need a quarterback. Mac Jones hasn’t lived up to the hype, and the Bailey Zappe train has left the station. New England’s roster building has been a success minus the obvious, and that is replacing Tom Brady.
As great as it would be for New England if Brady returned to Foxborough, he is 45 years old, and far from the player he used to be. Trading up for an elite QB prospect like Bryce Young makes more sense, and Bill Belichick understands just how important a solid, tough offensive line will be for his development.
The Patriots only have one first-round pick this year, meaning they’d have to dish out next year’s selection as well. It would be costly, as the Pats are currently projected to pick at No. 14.