When is the pro day for Alabama QB Bryce Young this cycle, and what does Young need to do to strengthen his case for the QB1 mantle? Here’s a preview of Young’s pro day ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
When Is Bryce Young’s Pro Day in 2023?
Young will appear at the Alabama Pro Day, which takes place on Thursday, March 23. The pro day will be held at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on the University of Alabama’s campus. It will start at 11:00 a.m. CT (12:00 p.m. ET).
You can view the full list of pro day dates here at Pro Football Network.
How To Watch Bryce Young’s Pro Day | TV Channel, Start Time
Coverage of the Alabama Pro Day will be streamed on NFL+ starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on Thursday by a cast that includes NFL Network scouts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks. That coverage will recap the day’s events, including Young’s highly-anticipated throwing session.
Along with Young, the Alabama Pro Day will also feature a host of other NFL prospects. Cornerback Eli Ricks is expected to test for the first time, and Will Anderson Jr., Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Jordan Battle, Byron Young, Cameron Latu, and Tyler Steen will also be present, among others.
Bryce Young’s Latest Mock Draft Rankings and Projections
Much like C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson, Young is exclusively mocked as a top-10 — likely top-five — selection at this point in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has a bit more variance in his projection than Stroud, but he’s still anticipated to be one of the very first players off the board — commanding franchise QB capital.
While Stroud and Richardson have more often been tied to the Panthers at No. 1 overall, Young remains in that conversation. Jeremiah matched Young to Carolina in his most recent mock draft, sending Stroud to the Texans at No. 2, and Richardson to the Colts at No. 4.
Most of PFN’s recent mocks have projected Stroud to the Panthers at No. 1 overall, but Young doesn’t go far after that. Cam Mellor’s most recent mock draft listed Young to the Colts at No. 4. The four PFN mocks published before Mellor’s projected Young to the Texans with the second pick.
All three of the top QB-needy teams present potential fits for Young, but the best fit might be the Texans, who hired Kyle Shanahan disciple Bobby Slowik as offensive coordinator this past winter. With his “point guard” style of play, Young would fit perfectly in a Shanahan system, and he has the creation capacity to elevate beyond that role as well.
Additionally, new Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has spoken glowingly of Young before. At the NFL Combine, he said the following of the Alabama passer: “I know Bryce is an outstanding leader from what I’ve seen and an outstanding quarterback. It’s no surprise the success that he’s had. Just because of the makeup, the type of guy that he is.”
What To Watch for at Bryce Young’s Pro Day
The big storyline for Young at the NFL Combine was his size. He ended up measuring in just over 5’10” and 204 pounds. That size measurement didn’t quell concerns about his projected durability, but it was far from a surprise.
At this point, it’s accepted that Young is a massive size outlier in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now, the question is: Are scouts willing to overlook that to bank on the intangibles that are there?
By and large, Young still fields confidence as a top-tier QB prospect. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper still has Young as his QB1 in the class and has said of Young: “If he was bigger, he’d be the shoo-in for the No. 1 pick. His arm is more than good enough for him to be a great NFL signal-caller.”
The size still looms over Young, but that book is closed — in regards to how it’ll affect his stock. Any team willing to pick Young is willing to take that risk on an outlier. The more important thing for Young is simply seeing the rest of the process through, and that starts with his Alabama Pro Day.
Notably, Young chose not to throw at the NFL Combine and instead opted to wait for his pro day. That decision didn’t necessarily garner scrutiny, but after Stroud and Richardson both impressed with their throwing sessions in Indianapolis, there is some pressure on Young to make up the difference in Tuscaloosa.
Some have postulated that Young doesn’t quite have the arm strength that the other top quarterbacks do, and while his accuracy is a defining strength, Stroud is the standard that Young will be compared to. Young has a crisp release and sharp mechanics, so his throwing session should only help him, but he’ll need to be locked in with NFL evaluators looking on.
It’s unclear if Young will test, but if he does, that part of his pro day will also draw attention. Young has visible athleticism on tape to go along with his elite creative instincts, but he doesn’t appear to be the same kind of athlete that Kyler Murray, a similarly-sized outlier, was coming out. That may also factor into evaluations.
Ultimately, Young’s pro day will bring more exposure to NFL teams at an interpersonal level as well. That will be the biggest benefit for Young, whose character and attention to detail have been praised all throughout the process by those close to him. He fits the “CEO of a Franchise” definition that many teams seek in their QBs. He’ll get a chance to show that on Thursday, too.
