NFL rumors: Panthers already split on which QB to take No. 1

ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter has hinted that the Carolina Panthers are already split on which quarterback to take with the No. 1 pick.

With over a month until the start of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers have staked their claim. On Friday, the Panthers acquired the No. 1 pick in the draft from the Chicago Bears in exchange for picks No. 9 and 61 this year, a first-rounder in 2024, a second-rounder in 2025, and wide receiver DJ Moore.

Now, Carolina has their choice of which quarterback prospect to select on the opening night of the NFL Draft on Apr. 27. So, who are the Panthers going to take?

During an appearance on “SportsCenter,” ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter said there’s a belief Carolina head coach Frank Reich likes Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, while team owner David Tepper likes Alabama’s Bryce Young.

Panthers believed to be split on which QB to select in 2023 NFL Draft

Schefter said this in a phone call to someone in the Panthers organization. That person then told the NFL insider that they like all of the quarterback prospects and that they will use the days leading up to the draft to determine which one they will select.

“Just hung up the phone with someone in the organization, and I said, ‘there’s a belief that David Tepper loves Bryce Young and Frank Reich likes C.J. Stroud.’ And they said ‘we love all of these quarterbacks, and we’ve got 48 days to make a decision on which one we will be taking,'” said Schefter.

The Panthers are in a prime spot. They have the next month-plus to evaluate all of the quarterback prospects without having to worry about another team leaping them. So, they have all the time in the world.

Young is considered to be the top quarterback prospect in the entire class, but there are concerns about his height, as he was measured at 5-foot-10 at the NFL Scouting Combine. As for Stroud, he shined in the Peach Bowl at the end of this past season, and during his throwing session at the Combine.

Who will the Panthers select when they are on the clock on Apr 27? Will it be Young? Will it be Stroud? Will it be Will Levis or Anthony Richardson? We’ll find out once NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the pick.