Panthers predicted to abandon Bryce Young plan for 63-touchdown quarterback

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The 2025 season is a make-or-break one for Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.
Young's career through two seasons can best be described as up and down. After a tough rookie season, Young got off to a terrible start in 2024, which led to him getting benched for Andy Dalton.
However, Young managed to get the job back and thrived in a strong late-season showing, which has given new hope that he could be the franchise quarterback in Carolina.
That said, if he goes back to struggling in 2025, the Panthers are likely to seek out another option to at least offer competition for the former No. 1 overall pick in 2026.
That scenario unfolded in a three-round mock draft from Pro Football and Sports Network's Mark Stolte, who has the Panthers taking Miami quarterback Carson Beck in Round 3.
Over five years at Georgia, Beck threw for 7,912 yards, rushed for 245 yards, and scored 63 total touchdowns (58 passing).
Once considered a top quarterback prospect, Beck took a step back in 2024 after a breakout campaign in 2023 that saw him finish with an eye-popping 72.4% completion rate and 3,485 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to just six picks.
Beck saw his completion rate drop by over 8%, and he threw for nearly 500 yards less while tossing six more interceptions for Georgia. He did, however, throw four more touchdowns.
That showing has led to Beck's stock dropping a bit, so it's fair to assume he could be a mid-round selection next year, although he'll have ample opportunity to improve his standing in 2025, when he'll be under center for Miami after transferring.
According to The Draft Network's Keith Sanchez, Beck's deep-ball and off-platform accuracy and decision-making under pressure need to get better if he wants to improve his stock.
While Beck won't wow anyone with athleticism, he has a sufficient amount to help him move around the pocket, and Beck has enough arm talent and accuracy to make most throwns.
The Panthers taking a quarterback in the third round would not make for the kind of threat to Young that a first-round selection would, but that doesn't mean he'd be safe, either.
At the very least, taking a quarterback in the third round would mean the Panthers are indeed open to moving on from the Alabama product.
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Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who has covered the NFL for major outlets such as Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News. He has previously written for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and FanSided, and got his start in sports media at Bleacher Report.