First Order Of Business For Bryce Young Is Learning 'Baseball Slide'

Some draft analysts have drawn comparisons between Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and his Crimson Tide predecessor, Tua Tagovailoa.

They've noted similarities in both the quarterbacks' size and poise in the pocket.

But if there's anything the presumed No. 1 overall pick doesn't want to emulate from Tagovailoa, it's the tendency to land on his head.

Which is exactly why the first order of business for Young is to learn how to slide properly to avoid concussion.

Bryce Young won both a National Championship and the Heisman Trophy while at the University of Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

"I think one thing just in general I can get better at for sure is just learning how to like baseball slide," Young told ProFootball Talk. "Because, full transparency, I don’t like know how to cleanly, efficiently do that. Like, I always kind of just got down."

Young may have been able to get away with that at the collegiate level. But those NFL defenses are bigger and faster. They can inflict a whole lot more pain.

"I knew eventually it was going to come a day where I need to," he said. "I’ve never really played baseball, so I knew eventually it was going to be a day where I need to learn how to baseball slide. I think now is a great time to attack that, so I think that’s something I’m definitely going to learn how to do."

But his inability to slide probably won't stop the Carolina Panthers from taking Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Young has already canceled his pre-draft visits with other teams. It looks like the Panthers will be looking to make him their quarterback of the future.

But he has to stay healthy to make that happen.