Alabama’s Bryce Young taken with No 1 pick in NFL draft by Carolina Panthers

Quarterbacks dominated the first part of the NFL draft.

Bryce Young, CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson were among the top four picks Thursday night, an expected result in a league where teams know finding a franchise QB is the quickest path to success.

The Carolina Panthers selected Young, the slender and dynamic Alabama quarterback, with the No 1 pick, seven weeks after making a blockbuster trade with Chicago to move up to get their choice.

The Panthers chose the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner over Ohio State’s Stroud, Florida’s Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis. New coach Frank Reich said earlier in the week that the organization reached a consensus Monday after several weeks of deliberation.

Stroud didn’t have to wait long. He went No 2 to the Houston Texans, who then made a blockbuster deal with Arizona to acquire the No 3 pick and selected Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr.

Richardson then went at No 4 to the Indianapolis Colts, who will begin a sixth straight season with a different starting QB.

Heading into the draft, there was no consensus beyond the No 1 pick.

A dual-threat playmaker with a strong arm and an elite combination of instincts and intelligence, Young also possesses the intangibles and characteristics coaches desire, including leadership ability and a strong work ethic.

But the biggest question about Young is his size. He measured at 5ft 10in 1/8 and weighed 204lbs at the combine. Though he dominated the SEC, some scouts and coaches fear Young may not be able to physically withstand all the hits in the NFL.

The Panthers couldn’t pass up his superior skills.

Kyler Murray, the No 1 overall pick in 2019, is the only other QB since 2003 to be selected in the first round after weighing in at 207 pounds or