Bryce Young will be wearing a jersey number for the Carolina Panthers that's very familiar to Alabama football fans. The Panthers announced Tuesday that Young will wear No. 9 for the franchise, the same number Young wore when he played for the Crimson Tide.
Matt Corral, who wore No. 9 last season, will switch to No. 2. Corral had plans to switch jersey numbers prior Carolina taking Young at No. 1 overall, as he wanted the number he wore at Ole Miss and high school. Corral couldn't wear the number last season because D.J. Moore wore No. 2.
The third quarterback taken in the first round in Panthers' history, Young threw for 8,200 yards and 79 touchdowns over the last two seasons (the second most by any player in the FBS during that span) at Alabama. The winner of the 2021 Heisman Trophy, Young was the first Alabama player to be selected No. 1 overall in the common draft era.
Young flirted with becoming the first quarterback listed at 6-0 or shorter and under 200 pounds selected in the first round in the common draft era, or being the first quarterback selected in the first round weighing under 200 pounds since Jim McMahon in 1982. Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds at Alabama, Young officially measured in at 5-foot-10 and 1/8 inches and 204 pounds at the NFL Combine.
Even with the size issue, Young has all the makings of a franchise quarterback. The Panthers believe they have the quarterback that can take the franchise to heights not seen since Cam Newton -- their last No. 1 overall pick -- was terrorizing defenses in his prime.
Only six players have worn No. 9 for the Panthers: Matt Lytle, Rodney Peete, Graham Gano, Ryan Santoso, Stephon Gilmore, and Matt Corral.
