Guess Who’s Back, Back Again -Bryce Young, Alabama

First Round Mock’s William Yanish takes a last second look at Alabama’s quarterback (QB) Bryce Young right before the draft card is turned in.

One of my earliest evaluations came at the expense of Alabama quarterback (QB) Bryce Young.

Now, we have arrived at that day.

I keep hearing everyone chanting “#1! #1!! #1!!!”

Naturally, I decided to go back, and check it out.

Did I miss something?

Did I not watch enough film?

Maybe I just nailed it the first time and there’s going to be some disappointed fans out there?

My evaluation process is under a constant state of evolution. I watch a lot more game film now. The game film never lies. I’ll never back down from what I see.

The NFL Combine and scripted pro days don’t count for anything. That is not any way to evaluate a player.

Drew Brees 2.0?

I recently found out that Young wears No. 9, because of his love for ex-New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees.

He is not Brees, let’s be clear about that.

However, Young will be selected in the top-5 overall.

There is no doubt.

Is he worth it?

Well, that’s where I come in.

They’ve created a monster

Top-5 picks have to play early and they have to play well. Management will be screaming for it as hard as the fans will be.

There are super high-end pressure and expectations being a top pick.

Personally, I wouldn’t draft a QB that high.

So much for the “Headlines” and “Shock and Awe” that I was told I was looking for.

They have created the headlines all on their own. By “they” I mean everyone creating these off-the-charts expectations. The analysts, the writers, and the mass media. They will break their own hearts. That is just the nature of the beast.

I am Young’s biggest critic, and I will stand my ground.

The Yanish Report

I am still seeing the same things with Young throwing to wide-open receivers, and throwing a ton of dangerous passes.

Anytime that he gets pressured, his accuracy starts to suffer. At the next level, a lot of his throws could come with very different outcomes. Young’s running around, trying to extend plays, will also be disastrous in the NFL (especially at 5-foot-10, 204 pounds). His footwork is bad. A ton of his throws come from him standing flat-footed without even attempting to step into them. The first game that showed any improvement with his footwork was halfway through the 2022 season versus Tennessee.

In a NFL offense, inconsistent footwork will cause rhythm and timing to suffer.

After watching more film, he got a lot cooler in the pocket. He also showed some progress. Overall, my impression of him has been in a constant state of evolution. However, I did find that I could adjust my value grade on Young, a little.

Conclusion

QBs are notoriously over-valued. That has a lot to do with coaches and management trying to save their jobs. It also has to do with ownership wanting to keep excitement alive and sell tickets. Young will end up on a bad team (a team with a losing record in 2022), barring a blockbuster trade.

What started with a barely average looking QB surrounded by top-tier talent, Young has shown signs of blossoming.

Without that kind of supporting cast, would the real Bryce Young stand up, or end up flat on his back?

How Young stacked up and game film reviewed

Previous draft value: Seventh-round to un-draftable free agent

Re-evaluation draft value: Third-round

Game film Reviewed:

Ole Miss ’21

Tennessee ’22

LSU ’22

Arkansas ’22

Ole Miss ’22

William Yanish III is a life long football fan. He’s from the little town of Crawford, Colorado. Along the way, he’s lived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska and Brookings, Oregon. Quarterback Joe Montana was his idol growing up. A little bit of CTE from life’s adventures killed his dreams as a football player. Now, he is an aspiring writer and Draft Analyst at FirstRoundMock.com. He’s a fanatic with a dream, which is coming true.