6 players (at 4 positions) who should interest Carolina Panthers on Day 2 of NFL draft
The Carolina Panthers’ D.J. Moore pick was widely praised Thursday night, beginning with former Panther great/NFL Network analyst Steve Smith and continuing pretty much unabated through the next 12-plus hours on social media.
If Moore pans out like the vast majority of Marty Hurney’s first-round picks during his first tenure as GM, the former Maryland wideout will have a long, Pro Bowl career with the Panthers.
But Friday, starting at 7 p.m., brings the second round, where Hurney has not been nearly as successful mining talent, and then the third.
Barring any trades, the Panthers have three picks during the second night of the draft — No. 55 in the second round and Nos. 85 and 88 in the third.
The Observer looks at six potential targets (listed by position group):
Defensive backs
Jessie Bates, S, Wake Forest: Bates (6-1, 200) lacks size and played only two seasons for the Deacons. But he has good speed and ball skills, perhaps owing to his background as a high school outfielder. Would immediately help the Panthers’ safety group.
Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado: Has a similar build (6-0, 201) as Bates, but that plays bigger at the corner position. Oliver has good size and tenacity, as well as an NFL pedigree. His father and uncle both played in the league. Assuming CBs Josh Jackson and Donte Jackson are both gone, Oliver would be a great value pick at 55.
Interior offensive linemen
Braden Smith, G, Auburn: With Andrew Norwell gone and Ryan Kalil retiring after 2018, the Panthers would like to find some help for the interior. Hurney would have to spend a lot of draft capital to trade up for Iowa C James Daniel or UTEP G Will Hernandez. But there’s a chance Smith, a 6-6, 315-pound mauler, could slip to the latter part of the second round.
Martinas Rankin, C, Mississippi State: The 6-4, 308-pound Rankin is an interesting prospect in that he played mostly left tackle during his final two seasons with the Bulldogs. But scouts believe he’s better suited playing inside at the next level, and the Panthers put a lot of stock in players with position flexibility.
Running backs
Kalen Ballage, Arizona State: Scouts aren’t sure what to make of Ballage, the 6-1, 228-pounder who ran a 4.46 in the 40. He had to share carries with Demario Richard in college, but still made a mark as a receiver and returner. The Panthers already have a do-everything back in Christian McCaffrey. If they believe Ballage can be the bruiser to replace Jonathan Stewart, he’d be an interesting pick.
Linebackers
Darius Leonard, South Carolina State: Hurney tends to look for athletes in the middle rounds, and Leonard certainly fits the bills. Scouts praised his speed and his sideline-to-sideline skills. With the edge rusher group a little thin, don’t be surprised if the Panthers look for a linebacker.
This story was originally published April 27, 2018 at 12:38 PM with the headline "6 players (at 4 positions) who should interest Carolina Panthers on Day 2 of NFL draft."