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Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is foregoing his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2023 NFL draft.
Young announced his decision Monday after leading the Crimson Tide to a 45-20 win over Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Young is on the shortlist of candidates to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s class, although to do so he must overcome some historical prejudices.
B/Rs NFL Scouting Department ranked Young as the top quarterback and No. 8 overall in the 2023 draft.
Derrik Klassen named Young the most accurate and pro-ready signal caller in this year’s class.
According to Alabama’s official sports website, Young is listed at 6ft 0 inches and 194 pounds. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in October that NFL scouts expect the California native to likely measure around 5ft 10in.
If Young’s height and weight arrive as expected, Brugler noted that the only quarterbacks drafted since 1997 who were shorter than 6 feet and weighed less than 200 pounds were Seneca Wallace in 2003 and Joe Hamilton in 2000.
The best comparison to Young based on physical measurements is Kyler Murray. Before the 2019 NFL Draft, he measured 5’10” and 207 pounds. The Arizona Cardinals happily voted him their #1 pick overall.
One big thing that works in Young’s favor is the elite-level performance against the SEC competition. He won the 2021 Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns in 15 games.
Young threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns in Alabama’s 41-24 win over Georgia in the 2021 regular season. The Bulldogs defense he compiled that stat against had eight players selected in the 2022 NFL draft, including five in the first round.
Young took a step backwards in 2022 but still finished the year with 3,328 passing yards and 32 touchdowns in 12 starts. The 21-year-old had his best game of the regular season in a 455-yard, two-touchdown loss to Tennessee.
The Sugar Bowl was an excellent exclamation point for Young to end his college career. He went 15 of 21 for 321 yards and five touchdown passes against the Wildcats.
The pre-draft process will likely be more important to Young than the other top quarterbacks given his size. He’s already proven his talent is more than good enough to win at the highest level in college football.