Bryce Young's rookie success won't be found in Panthers' record - ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It was the first week of the Indianapolis Colts' 2012 offseason workouts and Bruce Arians was dressed in all black, from his socks to his signature Kangol hat. That didn't go unnoticed by the defensive backs as the offensive coordinator purposely took a detour through the middle of them on his way to the field.

«They said, 'Coach, what's up with all the black? Whose funeral you going to?'» Arians recalled with a chuckle. «I said, 'Y'all's. Andrew Luck killed your ass yesterday.'

»They all fell down laughing, but they knew they had something then."

As a rookie quarterback, Luck, the No. 1 overall draft pick that year, led the Colts to an 11-5 record and the playoffs.

That's notable because among the 29 quarterbacks selected with the No. 1 pick since 1967, Luck is the only one to win more than half of his games as a rookie. Quarterbacks taken No. 1 in the past 45 drafts are a combined 94-206-2 in games they started in Year 1.

Bleak.

That's the outlook Bryce Young, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers in April, faces as he prepares for Monday night's game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN2).

He is already 0-1, having thrown two interceptions in a 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in his NFL debut.

«The No. 1 pick in the draft usually goes to one of the s---tiest teams in the league,'' reminded Arians, who also coached Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

»If he doesn't get beat all to crap like [No. 1 picks] David Carr and Tim Couch, they have a chance. But you've got to be lucky.''

YOUNG HAS TALKED to enough former quarterbacks, including Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick by the Panthers in 2011, to realize the past is littered with stories of