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Watch: Growing chasm between 2023 top draft picks in Week 1
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Watch: Good C.J. Stroud, bad Bryce Young perfectly capture growing chasm between 2023 top draft picks

The duality of NFL quarterbacks was on display early in Week 1.

Last year's top two draft picks, No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and No. 2 C.J. Stroud, showed the bad and good of the position moments apart.

Coming off a disastrous rookie season, Young threw an interception on his first attempt of 2024 with the Panthers.

His pass sailed over his intended target and was picked by defensive back Will Harris.

At the same time, Texans quarterback Stroud had an incredible scramble on 3rd-and-13 to set up Houston with a 4th-and-inches.

Stroud converted the fourth down with an absurd completion to tight end Brevin Jordan, throwing from his knees after slipping and falling in the pocket.

The two highlights show the polarity of the two top quarterbacks of the 2023 class and how important it is for a quarterback to make the correct draft decision.

The Texans hit the jackpot with Stroud, who has them among the top competitors to the Chiefs' reign atop the AFC.

In 2023, Stroud was named Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year and finished eighth in MVP voting. He was 319-of-499 (63.9 percent) for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 starts.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are coming off a 2-15 season and are nowhere near being a contender in the NFC.

A season ago, Young started 16 games and was 315-of-527 (59.8 percent) for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

With their starts to 2024 mirroring 2023, the gap between Young and Stroud is turning into a chasm.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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