With less than a week to go until the NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers fans are getting restless when it comes to dreaming about which QB they are going to see step in and try to become the new face of the franchise.
The overwhelming majority of mock drafts suggest that Alabama QB Bryce Young will be the pick, so many Panthers fans are already envisioning what kind of impact he will have on the field in year one. Heck, the arrival of a franchise QB may nearly coincide with North Carolina sports betting apps.
Seeing quarterbacks selected first overall is a common occurrence, as it’s happened 16 times since the year 2000.
The expectation is generally that that player will step in and be the starting QB from day one, and also be the favorite for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
What are the chances that Young will be the Offensive Rookie of the Year? Or any other QB, for that matter? Despite the logical assumption that a QB drafted first overall will be the OROY, it hasn’t often been the case.
Only three of the 16 QBs drafted first since 2000 have won the award - Kyler Murray in 2019, Cam Newton in 2011 (with the Panthers of course) and Sam Bradford in 2010, meaning less than 20% of them have managed to accomplish the feat.
A few notable No. 1's who didn't win OROY? Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Andrew Luck, Matt Stafford and Michael Vick.
1st Overall QB Picks To Win Rookie of the Year
*data since 2000
Can Young Follow Previous Heisman Winners?
If the pick is Young like North Carolina sports betting pundits expect, the Panthers will be selecting the winner of the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college football player in the nation.
Previous winners of the Heisman? Sam Bradford, Cam Newton and Kyler Murray, the three players that Young will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of when it comes to winning the OROY.
But as much as quarterbacks influence offenses and are generally the winners of the league MVP award, the offensive player and rookie of the year awards have been going to wide receivers more and more often in the past few years.
Justin Jefferson and Cooper Kupp have been the winners of the OPOY award the past two years and Garrett Wilson and Ja’Marr Chase have won the OROY. Running backs had a monopoly on the award in the early 2000s, but as the game has become more pass-heavy the top players are generally more involved in the air attack now.
With teams passing more often and receivers having an easier transition from college to the NFL, it’s no surprise that the highly touted wide receivers are the ones that are winning the offensive rookie of the year award.
There are once again a ton of talented receivers available in the draft this year, headlined by Zay Flowers, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jordan Addison.
While the Panthers won’t be going this route as they need a franchise quarterback, recent history suggests that those are the types of players who are more primed to make a big first season impact, making them more likely to win the offensive rookie of the year award.
BetCarolina, your home for North Carolina sportsbook promo codes, will keep close tabs on the NFL Draft.
We're also home to an updated page on the Panthers playoff chances.
