NFL Draft predictions: Which QB will the Panthers take, Bryce Young or CJ Stroud?

The 2023 NFL Draft is less than a month away and we still don't have a firm grasp on who will be the first player taken. We do know what team will do the choosing and what position they'll choose. The Carolina Panthers took the plunge and made a big trade with the Chicago Bears to move up to that top spot to take a quarterback. But, who that quarterback is remains a secret.

Did Carolina give up big draft capital and a star receiver to then do research on who they should pick at No. 1? I doubt it. They have someone in mind and it is either Ohio State's C.J. Stroud or Alabama's Bryce Young.

Sportsbooks appear to be wholly on the side of Stroud as the first pick, as he moved ahead of Young after the Panthers traded with the Bears and looked good throwing at the NFL Combine while Young didn't do any drills and was measured under 6 foot tall. But, no strong source has reported who the Panthers will actually take.

Here's are the NFL Draft odds for the No. 1 pick via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Odds

CJ Stroud -320
Bryce Young +220
Anthony Richardson +1000
Will Levis +5000
Hendon Hooker +25000

The odds make it pretty clear who the sportsbooks think will get the call, but we have heard analysts like MMQB's Albert Breer and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah predict Young as the pick. Maybe we are getting ahead of ourselves with Stroud as the runaway leader in this competition.

Young's odds to be the first pick right now are appealing. We do know Panthers head coach Frank Reich appears to like tall quarterbacks and that is one thing Stroud has Young beat on without question. Many analysts have also said that if Young had the height, he would be ahead of Stroud based on ability. At this point it doesn't appear to be an open and shut case, so there may be room to get a good number on Young.

  
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