Panthers GM addresses Bryce Young size concerns ahead of draft

Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer brushed aside size concerns regarding Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young.

"When Russell Wilson (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) came out he had three balls batted down his senior year; Bryce had two," Fitterer explained during a Tuesday pre-draft news conference, as shared by Steve Reed of the Associated Press. "It doesn’t seem to be an issue. When you grow up a shorter quarterback you learn how to evolve your game and adapt and see the field. And he’s done that." 

Handfuls of analysts have suggested that Young may struggle to adjust and remain healthy playing against top-tier defenses due to the fact that he measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and weighed 204 pounds at the combine. It's believed he likely walks around under that weight, but Fitterer noted any NFL team can help a rookie add positive pounds before his first game. 

"Nutritionally we can do some things to educate him, get him in the weight room," Fitterer said. "When you look at his lower body it has gotten bigger. He’s put on a lot of mass down there. A lot of times quarterbacks don’t want to lift on the upper body because you get a little bound up (up top). But he’s going to naturally put on size as he ages as well." 

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans offered similar comments about Young's size last month but likely won't see the Alabama product fall to his club, which picks second in the draft. As of Tuesday afternoon, OddsChecker had Young as a runaway betting favorite to go to the Panthers via the No. 1 selection at -1000 odds. 

In a piece published Tuesday morning, ESPN's Bill Connelly wrote that Young is not as fast as Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (5-foot-10, 207 pounds) and is also smaller than future Hall of Famer Drew Brees (6-foot-0, 213 pounds), two quarterbacks often compared to this class's top prospect at the position. Nevertheless, Fitterer sounds ready to make Young the top pick when the draft gets underway on April 27.