NFL Draft Rumors: 'Most Teams' Feel Bryce Young Is 'Most Mentally Ready' QB in Class

There is still much debate as to who the Carolina Panthers should select with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are regarded as the top two quarterback prospects in this year's class. However, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported a Saturday episode of SportsCenter that throughout the evaluation process, Young has impressed teams with his intelligence off the field as well as on it:

"Most teams around the league I talked to believe that Bryce Young is the most mentally ready quarterback of the bunch. And that's played out a little bit in the process with Carolina because I'm told the Panthers are one of the teams in the NFL that uses what's called an S2 Cognition test.

"So, this is a recent test developed about five or six years ago that about half the teams in the NFL use to test a player's spatial awareness, recognition, instincts, learning on the fly, all these things that quarterbacks need in the moment when you're adjusting to football. And I confirmed from multiple sources that Bryce Young did very well on the test, put up a high number."

Fowler went on to add that Carolina's evaluation of Young might give him the advantage over Stroud, though there hasn't been an indication as to who the Panthers intend to bring in as their quarterback of the future.

Fowler said:

"And so, that's part of the criteria for the Panthers, how quarterbacks did on the test. That helps Young; could be a little bit of an edge. So, still this is very close between C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. I've talked to 20-plus people around the league trying to poll who they think it's going to be. Very split, maybe a slight edge to Young, but both guys very close. Carolina has not tipped its hand yet."

The draft will take place from April 27 to 29 in Kansas City, Missouri.