Panthers head coach Frank Reich came away from Friday’s team rookie minicamp highly impressed by quarterback Bryce Young, who practiced with the team for the first time since he was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft last month.
“Bryce made a great impression, mentally and physically, looking the part in every way,” Reich told reporters. “He threw the ball exceedingly well and you could tell he was in a good space mentally and really had a firm grasp on everything we asked.”
It is often rare for a rookie quarterback to exhibit strong command of the huddle during his first time on an NFL practice field. However, it appears after just two full seasons learning the position under Nick Saban at Alabama, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner is well ahead of schedule.
“Bryce did a good job commanding the huddle and keeping everyone loose while also keeping everyone dialed in to what we were doing,” Reich added. “I don’t want to overdo it on the first day, but he did every little thing right. He just threw it with accuracy and knew where guys were supposed to be.”
Frank Reich speaks to the media https://t.co/QDfXALn5fC
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Young’s decision to be on the field an hour before the start of practice also caught Reich’s attention.
“There is nothing like leading by example,” Reich said. “You start to create a standard for the preparation of what it is going to take for us to get to where we want to get to. When the quarterback is doing that, I think it just sets the team and the offense in the right mindset.”
