Bryce Young's Panthers practice video draws Kyler Murray comparisons: "Looks like a middle school kid."

Yesterday marked an exciting moment for football fans as Bryce Young, the 2023 NFL Draft first overall pick and former 2021 Heisman Trophy Award recipient, stepped onto the practice pitch for the first time during the Carolina Panthers' rookie minicamp.

Despite his impressive college stats as a two-year starting QB for the Alabama Crimson Tide, some fans were quick to note his small stature - measuring in at only 5' 10" at the NFL Combine, he appeared diminutive compared to the pro offensive line in his first snap with the Panthers.

However, it's important to note that he wasn't wearing pads, which could have made him appear even smaller. It's still early days, and we're eager to see how Young will fare in the upcoming NFL season, hopefully dispelling any doubts about his ability based on his size.

Comparing Bryce Young and Kyler Murray's College Football Careers

Interestingly, Young's closest NFL player comparison in terms of size is Kyler Murray, the Arizona Cardinals' franchise QB and fellow first-overall draft pick, who measures just a few pounds heavier at 5 ft 10 inches and 207 lbs.

Murray played college football at Texas A&M and then for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2016 to 2018, where he was initially a backup before breaking out in the 2018 season. He won the 2018 Heisman Trophy thanks to an impressive stat line of over 4,000 yards, 42 TDs, over 1,000 yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns in the regular season, which made him an easy pick for the 2019 Draft.

On the other hand, Bryce Young played significantly more games as a college starter than Murray, having become a starter for the Crimson Tide in his sophomore year and quickly becoming an influential leader on the offense. In his sophomore year, he won the Heisman Trophy thanks to a stat line of 4,872 yards, 47 passing TDs, and seven picks to go along with three rushing TDs in 15 games. He went on to win more awards, including the AP Player of the Year, the Manning Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and the Maxwell Award, and was a Consensus All-American.

Although he experienced a downturn in his junior year, finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting, he still managed to secure the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to his impressive performance.

What should Carolina Panthers fans expect from Bryce Young?

As a leader with incredible intangibles and a solid sense of play on the field, the Carolina Panthers can expect Young to bring a similar level of skill and poise to their offense. Despite concerns about his size, undersized quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Kyler Murray have proven that size isn't necessarily an obstacle to success in the NFL. We're excited to see what the future holds for this promising young talent.