C.J. Stroud says Bryce Young is 'one of the best quarterbacks I've ever seen in my life'
Stroud had high praise for the lone player selected over him in 2023
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1 min read
When the Carolina Panthers traded a king's ransom to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select quarterback Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud, it was considered to be the worst trade in Panthers franchise history. However, fans may have jumped the gun with that kind of declaration.
After being benched early in the 2024 season, Young rebounded to score 10 total touchdowns compared to zero turnovers in the Panthers' final three games. It was something only Drew Brees had accomplished since 2000, and it began to look like Young had finally found his footing in the league.
| Bryce Young before and after 2024 benching | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
Win-Loss | 2-16 | 4-6 |
Team points per game | 12.3 | 23.1 |
Total TDs vs. Turnovers | 12-19 | 20-8 |
There's actually optimism for Young entering Year 3, especially with new top draft pick Tetairoa McMillan to throw to now.
This week, Young and the quarterback selected right after him, Stroud, took part in a joint practice. The Houston Texans signal-caller had high praise for Young, saying that he's seen a "dawg come out of him," and that he's, "One of the best quarterbacks I've ever seen in my life."
I’ve seen a dawg come out of him — he’s one of the best quarterbacks I’ve seen in my life.”
— Michael Bell (@avl_mike) August 14, 2025
- CJ Stroud on Bryce Young pic.twitter.com/Btm9MLN6hX
Since they were selected with the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks, Young and Stroud are going to be compared to each other for the rest of their careers. It looked like Carolina made a horrific decision in 2023, as Young went 2-14 as the starter, while Stroud put together a historic rookie campaign, going 9-6 as the starter with 23 passing touchdowns compared to five interceptions.
The Texans went from worst to first in the AFC South that season, as Stroud took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The Ohio State product led the league in passing yards per game (273.9) and TD-INT ratio. Only two other quarterbacks had done that over the last 50 seasons! However, Stroud regressed toward the mean in Year 2, as he averaged 219.2 passing yards per game and threw 20 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions. The inconsistent performance of the offense led to the firing of OC Bobby Slowik.
While Young hasn't put together a winning season, made the playoffs or won awards like Stroud, he showed at the end of last season that he's primed for a breakout. According to Stroud, he's capable of being Carolina's franchise quarterback.
