Panthers could have landed Stroud & Texans favored Bryce Young, recent reports suggest

The 2023 NFL Draft could have played out entirely differently, at least one long-time Houston Texans reporter with the Houston Chronicle believes.  John McClain, who has covered the NFL for 47 years, joined Steve Wyche and James Palmer on a recent episode of "The NFL Report," where he explained that the Texans liked Bryce Young […]

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Oct 29, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) and Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feature image via Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 NFL Draft could have played out entirely differently, at least one long-time Houston Texans reporter with the Houston Chronicle believes. 

John McClain, who has covered the NFL for 47 years, joined Steve Wyche and James Palmer on a recent episode of "The NFL Report," where he explained that the Texans liked Bryce Young and if the team had the No. 1 pick, they would have taken the Alabama product over rookie-sensation C.J. Stroud. 

"If they had the No. 1 pick, [the Texans] would’ve taken Bryce Young, even though there were a lot of people out there who had Stroud rated over Bryce Young,” McClain said.

The Texans could have helped the Panthers avoid a draft decision that appears to be haunting the franchise currently. 

If Houston moved up to command the draft board, Young could have been in a Texans uniform, and the Panthers could have selected Stroud. 

That isn't a guarantee that Stroud would have found immediate success in Carolina the same way he has in Houston. 

Still, it is an interesting sliding doors moment. The Panthers could have had Stroud and the Houston Texans could have had Young. But that isn't real life, and in the here and now, the Panthers are holding a 1-8 record with no first-round pick in the the2024 draft. Brutal.