Bama in the NFL: Carolina Panthers Betting Future on Bryce Young
The Carolina Panthers have been here before.
Even though the franchise is one of the youngest in the National Football League, like the other 31 it's been on a continual search to improve, especially at quarterback. Since that first regular draft in 1995, the Panthers have used 11 selections on the position (one every 2.5 years), with the players ranging from Jimmy Clausen to Chris Weinke.
Four of those quarterbacks, including Clausen, where top-five overall selections, dating back to Kelly Collins in that first first draft, and two were the first pick overall. Of course we're talking about former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton to 2011, and Alabama's Bryce Young, the last two Heisman Trophy winners at the rival schools.
To suggest that Young might be another Newton-like quarterback isn't particularly fair as they're about as different as their height and weight (Young is 5-10, 205 pounds soaking wet, while Newton's 6-5, 245). But the expectations that go with being the first-overall pick are absolutely comparable, and foreshadow how Young will be measured.
Newton was the league's first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season (2011). He was named league MVP during his lone All-Pro season, 2015, and led the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.
But he also ran into injury problems and wasn't able to maintain his success longterm. Newton was never named to another Pro Bowl, and the Panthers reached the playoffs only once over the next four years. He was on the Patriots in 2020, and had a brief second stint with Carolina in 2021, but hasn't played with an NFL team since.
Young has become the face of the franchise, where fans are hoping he'll be the Panthers' version of Drew Brees, an All-Pro who was named to the Pro Bowl 13 times, and, most importantly, won a Super Bowl.
Bama in the NFL: Carolina Panthers
The Franchise
National Football Conference
South Division
Founded: 1995
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium (capacity 73,778)
Playing Surface: FieldTurf Vertex CORE
Training Camp: Wofford College
All-Time Alabama Players
Crimson Tide Players Drafted
Super Bowl Appearances
Notable Awards/Honors
Crimson Tide NFL Team Rundown: Carolina Panthers
In conjunction with our revamped Bama in the NFL Database, this is the fifth story in a series examining the team-by-team history of Alabama's former players in the NFL.AFC
NFC
See Also
Bama in the NFL: The Ultimate Crimson Tide Database
Bama in the NFL: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by Team
