The Carolina Panthers shook the league to its foundations by trading up to No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Debates immediately swirled about which direction and which prospect those in power had in mind.
Some fans thought they were going up for C.J. Stroud. It ended up being Bryce Young, who had always been the preferred option based on information revealed after the draft. This looked like a massive mistake earlier in their careers. Now, the narrative is changing.
Young is ascending. Stroud is a good player, but his error-prone efforts in the playoffs drew further scrutiny on his ambitions to secure a lucrative contract extension in advance.