Frank Reich says Carolina Panthers have reached 'consensus' on NFL draft's No. 1 pick
Frank Reich said in a news conference Tuesday that the Carolina Panthers have decided who they will select with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
"Who is it?" a reporter asked.
Reich laughed.
"We'll announce that Thursday at about 8 o'clock," he said.
The first-year Panthers head coach said the decision was effectively made Monday, when general manager Scott Fitterer stopped by his office to make sure they were on the same page.
"It was kind of like a proposal of sorts. And I said yes," Reich said. "There is consensus, and we're excited."
The Panthers have acknowledged they plan to target a quarterback after trading two first-round picks, two second-round picks and wide receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears to secure the first overall selection.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is the heavy favorite to be the Panthers' pick Thursday night, though the team also met privately with Will Levis, Anthony Richardson and C.J. Stroud, among others.
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Reich went on to praise Fitterer and the Panthers' scouting department for their handling of the pre-draft process. He said there wasn't a singular "ah-ha" moment in which they decided who the pick will be, but rather conviction that "built gradually."
"There was ebbs and flows during the process," said Reich, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach. "I don't want to say there's any drastic change of mind, but there's ebbs and flows of how much you like a guy, and that's why you have to resist the temptation of making your mind up too early. So I thought we as a scouting staff and coaches did a good job of not falling into that trap."