‘Definitely a blessing’: QB prospects at the top of Panthers’ list as NFL Draft nears

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WBTV) - The clock is ticking for the Panthers, who are just one day away from making the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Excitement is growing in the Carolinas, but speculation remains regarding who the team will take with the No. 1 overall pick.

Panthers head coach Frank Reich has said there is a “consensus” on who the team will select, but wouldn’t divulge who that player is.

The draft’s top prospects, including quarterback’s Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, took part in a community service event on Wednesday, and spoke to the media in attendance.

Young, the presumptive top pick and Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama, said he hasn’t heard anything from the Panthers on whether they will draft him.

Despite not knowing exactly where he will wind up on draft night, he said he’s excited for the opportunity, and described playing in the NFL as something that “has been a long time coming for all of us [in the draft class].”

“We’ve been working for this our entire lives, and you know, this is always a dream, and for this to come into fruition, it’s definitely a blessing,” Young said.

WBTV will continue live coverage leading up to the draft, culminating with the ‘On the Clock’ special on Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Panthers will officially go on the clock an hour later.

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