The Carolina Panthers are beginning a new era with a new head coach and new franchise quarterback. After swinging a trade with the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, general manager Scott Fitterer and Frank Reich selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young to fast-track this rebuild.
While there may be some concerns about Young's frame, his production in college can't be ignored. He was the consensus No. 1 quarterback in this class, and the Panthers followed up his selection with a pass-catcher in Jonathan Mingo out of Ole Miss at No. 39 overall.
Per CBS Sports Research, this is the sixth time in the Common Draft Era a team took a quarterback No. 1 overall, followed by a wide receiver with their next pick. The last team to do this? The Cincinnati Bengals, with Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins in 2020.
Let's take a look at the other five teams that selected a quarterback No. 1 overall, and then a wideout.
| Year | Team | QB (No. 1 overall) | WR (team's next pick) |
|---|---|---|---|
1970 | Terry Bradshaw | Ron Shanklin | |
1998 | Jerome Pathon | ||
1999 | Tim Couch | Kevin Johnson | |
2002 | David Carr | Jabar Gaffney | |
2020 | Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | Tee Higgins |
2023 | Carolina Panthers | Bryce Young | Jonathan Mingo |
The quarterback names, of course, jump off the page. Especially with players like Bradshaw, Manning and Burrow. As far as the wide receivers go, Johnson had a 1,000-yard season in 2001, while Higgins has two 1,000-yard campaigns in his first three NFL seasons.
Mingo is someone who has drawn comparisons to former Ole Miss wideout A.J. Brown, although CBS Sports' pro comparison is someone the Panthers actually already have on the roster: Terrace Marshall Jr. Mingo is big and a weapon who can work in the short game as well as win downfield. Last season, he caught 51 passes for 861 yards and five touchdowns.
With D.J. Moore included in the trade to the Bears, Mingo fills a need for Carolina. There's no doubt the Panthers are hoping their young quarterback and wide receiver foster the same connection Burrow and Higgins have in Cincy.
