Anybody desirous to see how the No. 1 total decide of the 2023 NFL Draft would deal with an NFL hit did not have to attend lengthy.
In the course of the Panthers’ preseason opener towards the New York Jets, Jermaine Johnson II received a clear hit on the rookie quarterback on a failed third-down go try.
Younger started the sport with two completions for 13 yards earlier than going through the third-and-6.
His day ended after Quinton Jefferson sacked him for a nine-yard loss on his third sequence and second consecutive three-and-out.
Whereas his debut was on no account a rousing success — he completed 4-of-6 for 21 yards — it was removed from a failure. He withstood the hits, which is what loads of individuals needed to see that he may do.
What ought to be extra alarming for the Panthers after Saturday’s sport is how simply the Jets have been capable of get to Younger. The offensive line did him no favors. It is going to be a protracted season for the rookie if he’s continually being attacked.
And if defenders are hitting Younger like they’re in midseason kind in the course of the preseason, it is possible Younger will discover himself underneath extra intense stress in the course of the common season.
The one actual knock towards Younger popping out of faculty was his dimension — at 5-foot-10, he is tied for the league’s shortest beginning quarterback (Kyler Murray). In an early 2023 NFL Draft scouting report, The Athletic’s Nate Tice wrote, “Each dialog about Younger as a professional will start and finish together with his dimension.”Â
Younger weighed 204 kilos on the NFL Mix, which quieted the dialog however did not squash it outright. Till he endures a complete season of hits like those he skilled towards the Jets, these doubts will persist.
For his half, Younger’s persistently downplayed considerations about his dimension, each on the sector and within the media. His peak wasn’t a deterrent whereas at Alabama, the place he received the Heisman Trophy.Â
After being chosen No. 1 total by the Panthers, he stated, “Those who doubt me, I really feel like everyone seems to be entitled to their opinion … however I select to give attention to what I can management.”
The Jets made life depressing for Younger in his debut however the Panthers did little to make issues higher. Until Carolina figures out a strategy to defend Younger, Saturday could possibly be a precursor of future occasions.
The Panthers are going to want loads of ice.
