Alabama football QB must be No. 1 in 2023 NFL Draft

It wasn’t the national championship game, but Bryce Young ended his Alabama career in style in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday. The star quarterback was nothing short of electric, completing 15 of 21 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns, including dazzling throws. At a time when star players often forgo bowling games, Young decided to go for it once again with his teammates, and it paid off.

Bryce Young is GENERATIONAL 😳 pic.twitter.com/zpiv5m2cVj

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) December 31, 2022

With the season in the rearview mirror, Young will likely turn his attention to the 2023 NFL Draft. He hasn’t officially declared himself yet, but it would be an absolute shock if he decides to return to Alabama.

From the moment he took his first shot in Alabama, Young was getting the NFL hype. He has only increased his stock throughout his college career and is now essentially a lock to get into the top three. After Saturday’s performance, however, Young should be the clear choice to go first overall.

However, there are other players who could potentially be first overall. Perhaps Young’s biggest competition is his own Alabama teammate, Will Anderson Jr., who could be a generational rusher. As for other quarterbacks, some think Ohio State’s CJ Stroud could move past Young.

That said, Young proved he was more than worthy of being the competition’s first overall pick. Here are two reasons why Bryce Young will be first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

2. Whoever gets the first overall pick will likely need a quarterback

The NFL is a quarterback league, pure and simple. It always has been, but the rise of young superstars like Patrick Mahomes has only fueled the QB arms race even further. If a team wants to have a chance of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at this time, they must have a capable passer.

With the importance of quarterbacks in the NFL, it’s only natural that they tend to dominate the draft. A quarterback has been the first overall pick in four of the last five drafts, the only exception being defensive end Travon Walker in 2022. Even that comes with a catch, as the Jacksonville Jaguars just took Trevor Lawrence at the ranked first in 2021, and the 2022 QB class was exceptionally weak.

In 2023, this trend is very likely to continue. The Houston Texans, who currently have the No. 1 pick, have needs in almost every position, but the quarterback is by far the biggest. Drafting Bryce Young would signal a new era in Houston and give them a stable quarterback for years to come.

Where it could get interesting is if the Chicago Bears, who hold the second pick, end up picking first. The Bears just drafted Justin Fields two years ago, and his development this season ensures they won’t quarterback here. If they get the first pick, they could take Anderson or choose to trade him.

If they ended up picking the latter, the trading team would almost certainly draft a quarterback. The carry a team would have to give up for the first pick is just too much not to take a caller. The last team to trade up to the first overall pick was the Los Angeles Rams in 2006 and, of course, they took a quarterback.

Regardless of who gets the first pick, chances are Young will be the first player to leave the roster.

1. Bryce Young can become the face of a franchise immediately

It’s important to remember that the NFL is ultimately a business. And like any other business, the end goal is to make a profit. In this sense, it becomes even more important to have a true face of the franchise.

A face of the franchise is not only a tremendous asset on the field, but also commercially. This player can generate merchandise sales, get people to come to the games and much more.

And far more often than not, those faces of the franchise are quarterbacks. Just look at Mahomes in Kansas City, Josh Allen in Buffalo, Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and many more. There are faces in the franchise who aren’t quarterbacks, like Aaron Donald for the Rams, but they’re rare.

Bryce Young is one of those players who can instantly become the face of a franchise. He’s a star player on the pitch, and he’s already incredibly marketable. According to On3, Young is already earning $3.5 million a year in zero money. Imagine what he can earn once he enters the NFL.

Young would not only completely transform a team on the pitch, but also boost business immensely. For these reasons, he is clearly the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.