CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryce Young is used to being compared to C.J. Stroud.

It’s been happening since the two were in eighth grade and Young’s Inland Empire Ducks beat Stroud’s Pomona Steelers in an all-star exhibition in Fontana, Calif. Stroud hasn’t forgotten it, and not just because it rained in southern California that day.

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“They killed us, like terribly,” he said. “They put it to us. I remember we played in the rain. He had a really good game. I played terrible.”

The two also faced off several times on the AAU basketball circuit and built a friendship through shared experiences at quarterback camps that lasted through college and the 2023 NFL Draft, when Young and Stroud were the first two players taken.

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Which brings us to Sunday when the Houston Texans visit the Carolina Panthers in a matchup of rookie quarterbacks and former rivals who spent part of their Wednesday press conferences talking about the other’s skills … on the basketball court.

“We have different games. I’m more of a point. He’s a shooter,” Young said. “He’s a shooter-off-the-catch type of player. I’m more on the ball. He can hoop for sure.”

Stroud also praised Young’s game, while getting in a good-natured jab at the 5-foot-10 Young. “He might be small but he’s pretty strong. He’s low to the ground,” Stroud said with a laugh.

The hoops stories were a fun diversion but the focus this week has centered on the start to their NFL careers — a comparison that will continue for as long as they play in the league. Or longer.

In basketball terms, Stroud has come out with the hot hand to help his team to a big, early lead. The former Ohio State quarterback ranks among the top 10 in several statistical categories, while Young falls closer to the bottom among qualified passers.

Bryce Young vs. C.J. Stroud

Stroud started his career with 191 consecutive passes before his first interception, a streak that broke Dak Prescott’s record of 176 passes in a row without an INT from 2016. And while Stroud has the Texans off to a surprising 3-3 start under first-year coach DeMeco Ryans, the Panthers (0-6) are still looking for their first win under first-year coach Frank Reich, who ceded the play calling to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown during the bye week.

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But Reich said the Panthers have no misgivings about their decision to take Young over Stroud.

“We got the guy we wanted to get and couldn’t be happier about that — in every way. I’m happy for C.J. He’s had six good games and I have no doubt he’ll have many more good games. But I know this when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks or any position, it’s years not weeks,” Reich said.

“You can’t put a label on a guy after six weeks or even a year. I’ve seen guys have Pro Bowl seasons and then a year later fighting to be a backup somewhere else. It’s a crazy league. What we’re looking for not just from our quarterback but at every position is sustained success at a high level for a very long time. And you can’t measure it in weeks.”

There were a lot of measurements taking place for the quarterbacks leading up to the draft, from their scores on the S2 Cognition test, which assesses players’ processing skills, to Young’s much-anticipated height and weight (204) at the combine.

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Reich’s history of playing with and coaching big quarterbacks led to much speculation that he preferred the 6-3, 214-pound Stroud, which Reich shot down Wednesday.

“My eyes and our eyes were on Bryce Young from start to finish,” he said. “You look at the film. You talk to the man. You get a sense for the leader, the player and what he is and what he can be and how he fits to what we want to do … we got the guy for us.

“And I’m sure Houston feels they got the guy for them. That’s great. I think it’s great for the NFL. It’s great for our two guys. I think we’re both very happy with where we’re at and the direction we’re going.”

Former NFL general manager Randy Mueller was in the San Diego Chargers’ front office when Reich was the offensive coordinator and Philip Rivers was the team’s 6-5, 228-pound quarterback. Like a lot of other observers, Mueller figured Reich would lean toward the bigger quarterback and hinted at the role David Tepper played in the decision. The Panthers owner was said to have been impressed with Young’s near-perfect S2 score.

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“The structure and the influence certain people have obviously factor in. And it has to be a consensus,” said Mueller, who is part of The Athletic’s NFL staff. “If you’re going to not only draft somebody first but give away a whole bunch to get there, you better have consensus. I’m sure Frank was good with it at the end of the day.”

“I always said I like C.J. Stroud a lot. I like that whole quarterback draft (class),” Reich said. “I think they were all really good prospects. I think they’re all gonna have really good NFL careers.”

Young is coming off his best game — his first turnover-free effort during a 42-21 loss at Miami before the bye. Young is completing 63.2 percent of his passes compared to a 59.6 completion percentage for Stroud, which ranks 31st.

And though he leads Young in nearly every other category, Stroud defended his friend’s play.

“I don’t think in any way, aspect or form he’s playing bad. That’s what people think if you’re not winning or you have a turnover here or there,” Stroud said. “Bryce is playing some really good football.”

Mueller said it’s too soon to make sweeping judgments on the rookie passers. Panthers backup quarterback Andy Dalton agreed, pointing to 1998 when Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions for the 3-13 Indianapolis Colts — a dubious rookie record that still stands.

“You’ve had guys that have had success from the very beginning and then things change. And then you’ve had guys that have struggled in the beginning and then it takes off,” Dalton said. “Everybody uses the Peyton Manning example. He’s still waiting for somebody to break his interception record that he threw his rookie year. I know he’s rooting for all the rookies every year. I’d say the trajectory of his career was all right.”

Young said it’s “pretty surreal” that two California kids who would see each other at seven-on-seven tournaments in high school ended up going 1-2 in the draft. The two share a private quarterback coach, their families have become close, and they’ll still occasionally play pickup basketball together in the offseason.

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“There’s never gonna be a time when I’m not rooting for C.J.,” Young said before catching himself and chuckling. “I guess maybe this weekend would be the exception. I don’t want to speak for C.J., but I think (he feels) the same way. We both want what’s best for each other. We both want each other to be successful.”

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(Photos of Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud: Megan Briggs, Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

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