The Carolina Panthers have invested quite a bit into Bryce Young. From this year’s No. 1 pick and to the resources given up to acquire said No. 1 pick, there’s a lot riding on the 21-year-old quarterback.
So, how long does the organization have to wait for at least somewhat of a return on that investment? If you ask Sports Illustrated senior writer Conor Orr, perhaps not too long.
As part of his 100 bold predictions piece published on Wednesday, Orr opines that Young will etch his name into the record books during the 2023 campaign—and here’s how he’ll do it:
Bryce Young will break the NFL record for …
Most consecutive completions by a rookie quarterback in the modern era. Mac Jones currently holds the record, which stands at 19. The Panthers will design a lot of easy completions for Young to get him into the flow of games. One week, he’s just not going to stop.
This wouldn’t be the first time the Panthers see history out of their first overall selection. In 2011, Cam Newton set rookie marks for the most passing yards in an NFL debut (422) as well as the most combined yards (4,784) and touchdowns (35) in a rookie season. He was also the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards.
So, yes, Newton will be a tough act for Young to follow—in more ways than one. But notching a record in Year No. 1 wouldn’t be a bad start.
