David Tepper didn't hesitate when asked what it meant for the Carolina Panthers to draft Bryce Young with the first overall pick of Thursday's NFL draft.

"Super Bowls," the owner said. "Super Bowls."

It was a bold statement for Tepper, who hasn't guided a winning season since purchasing the Panthers for $2.275 billion in 2018.

"When we went through the process with these quarterbacks, we asked ourselves, 'Which one of these guys will be a guy that can take us?'" Tepper later explained. "Not to talk about all the different guys, but we thought this guy had the highest probability of winning Super Bowls.

"Listen, you want to win Super Bowls. And you know there's no sure thing here. But it's a probability. We thought this guy has the best probability of winning Super Bowls."

The Carolina Panthers know who they will be taking with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday night.

Frank Reich says general manager Scott Fitterer went into his office on Monday and asked him who he preferred at the first overall selection.

"It was kind of like a proposal," the coach said. "And I said yes. We have a consensus and we are excited."

There are number of signs pointing to the Carolina Panthers selecting Bryce Young at No. 1, but he has not been told by the team that he's their selection.

Young has canceled his other visits and the gambling markets have skewed in his favor.

The Panthers traded up to No. 1 in a deal with the Chicago Bears and have been expected to select a quarterback.

The Chicago Bears received a significant haul from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the first overall pick in this month's NFL draft.

Chicago dealt Carolina the selection in exchange for the No. 9 overall pick, a 2023 second-rounder, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round selection and wide receiver D.J. Moore. 

"I knew from the jump that they were a team that really wanted their quarterback," Bears general manager Ryan Poles said of the Panthers.

"They wanted to control the draft. That meant a lot to them. They got in front early, at the combine. I had a good relationship with their general manager, Scott Fitterer, and felt like at that time it was best to close on the deal when we did, instead of dragging it out."

The Carolina Panthers continue to evaluate all options for the No. 1 overall pick.

On Tuesday, they'll host Alabama quarterback Bryce Young for a Top 30 visit, according to a source.

Carolina's front office met with Young for dinner on the eve of the Alabama pro day last month.

The Carolina Panthers made waves when they traded D.J. Moore and the first overall pick to the Chicago Bears earlier this offseason.

During negotiations, the Panthers refused to include pass rusher Brian Burns and defensive tackle Derrick Brown in the deal.

Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said it was just too difficult to replace Burns and Brown. Contracts also figured into the deal as the pair are still on their rookie contracts.

"There were certain players that we never really wanted to trade," Fitterer said. "It's so hard to replace a Derrick Brown or Brian Burns, a pass rusher (and) an interior, dominant young player on a (first) contract. D.J., we didn't want to move either. But it's a little bit easier to replace a receiver than it is a pass rusher or a three-tech."