Bryce Young, the former Alabama standout, truly found his groove in 2025, leading the Carolina Panthers to an NFC South title and a playoff berth. After a rocky start to his NFL career, Young’s transformation has been nothing short of impressive. His stats tell the story: career highs in passing yards (3,011), touchdowns (21), and completion percentage (63.6%).
Yet, despite this upward trajectory, Fox Sports analyst Henry McKenna has placed Young as the 24th best starting quarterback heading into the 2026 season. This ranking raises eyebrows, especially when you see names like Malik Willis, who spent last season as a backup with the Dolphins, ranked higher. Similarly, Cam Ward and Kyle Murray, who faced their own struggles, and Jaxson Dart, who didn’t break the 3,000-yard mark for the Giants, are also ahead of Young.
Young’s drop from 22nd in 2025 to 24th now seems puzzling given his evident progress. But if there’s one thing we know about Young, it’s his resilience.
His former college coach, Nick Saban, famously used skepticism as motivation, and Young might just do the same. This ranking could be the perfect fuel for him as he gears up for the upcoming season, ready to prove the doubters wrong once again.