Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates with teammates after a victory over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The national media must not have
watched Bryce Young last season. After he was benched by the
Carolina Panthers, he was written off. In true Geno Smith fashion, he didn’t write back, and he returned and looked like a genuine star. There are still some who think he has to prove himself as the starter, though.
In the latest QB power rankings, Young continues to see disrespect. For once, one of the analysts doing these lists actually highlighted and respected the level of play Young enjoyed for the last several weeks of the 2024 season. So why is he still ranked so low?
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin ranked him 26th and argued, “Few quarterbacks enjoyed a more promising finish to 2024. Young clearly plays with a swagger bigger than his frame when he’s feeling it. The question is, what’s his ceiling even as a more confident pro? Did the Panthers really do enough out wide to give him adequate big-play support
Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
It’s fair to ask those questions, but 26th is ridiculously low. Yes, the full body of work has to be considered, but Young looked like a top-10 QB for more than a few games. It was a good enough sample size to warrant a higher ranking.
Perhaps the most shocking thing is some of the names ranked ahead. Cam Ward is 25th, and he’s not taken a single NFL snap. He’s also decidedly not as good a prospect as Young was. Caleb Williams, Justin Fields, Tua Tagovailoa, and JJ McCarthy (who also hasn’t taken a snap) should not be ahead of Young right now.
Young has more weapons now, so perhaps the overall statistical performance will go up along with the level of his play. That seems to be what many of these lists rely on, but the eye test proves that Young is a star in the making.
