Charlotte. North Carolina (AP) — Carolina Panthers Frank Reich, his coach, says he and general his manager Scott his fitterer have agreed on which quarterback the team will pick as his No. 1 pick. in the NFL Draft.
But Reich says the team won’t announce who’s who until Thursday night, when the draft begins.
The Panthers chose between Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson to replace quarterbacks in transition over the past five seasons. I’m trying to upgrade my position.
Mr. Fiterer said last week that he was waiting to ask Mr. Reich who his priorities would be so as not to cloud the judgment of either decision-maker. But on Monday, Fitter finally walked into Reich’s office and posed the question of who he preferred — and both agreed on the same QB.
“It was kind of like a proposal — and I said yes,” Reich joked on Tuesday. “But there’s consensus, and we’re excited.”
Young has been an overwhelming favorite for the Panthers’ #1 overall pick since Cam Newton in 2011. According to the FanDuel sportsbookalthough Levi’s is ahead of Stroud.
This is a very important pick for Carolina, who has not made the playoffs since 2017, mainly due to a mismatch in QB positions.
Reich praised the fitters and scouts for being open minded throughout the process.
“We all approached things with ideas and tendencies, but there are ups and downs along the way,” said Reich. “Have you had a change of heart? I wouldn’t say you have a dramatic change of heart, but there are ups and downs to how much you like a guy.
“The coaches and scouting staff did a good job of not falling into that trap and just figuring out what it was and taking it every day and watching the tapes and going through the process.”
Reich said his belief in who to hire on the team’s coaching staff was “gradually built” over time.
With the top pick decided, Reich said the team is now turning its attention to five other picks in the first five rounds of the draft, including the 39th overall selection.
“We’re thinking about the 39th pick and the 93rd pick for all the scenarios of (trade) up, (trade) down, or stay there,” Reich said. “What if[this guy]was there? What if he wasn’t? Hey, tell me how this guy fits into the plan. Those are dynamic arguments, and we I think we are prepared for those scenarios.”___
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