5 defensive prospects who should be on Panthers’ radar ahead of NFL Combine
Another year, another NFL scouting combine.
Another new set of draft needs for the 2019 Carolina Panthers.
Next week in Indianapolis, Panthers general manager Marty Hurney and head coach Ron Rivera, and their staff of scouts and assistant coaches, will have a tall task ahead of them. Their needs in this draft are many, with the most pressing being along both offensive and defensive lines.
Drafting defensive prospects this year will pose new challenges for Hurney, after the loss of veteran linebacker Thomas Davis, whose contract with Carolina was not renewed, and the retirement of defensive end Julius Peppers.
Hurney is charged with reviving a pass rush that sorely lacked production in 2018. He is charged with ensuring the linebackers unit doesn’t lose a step without Davis. And he’s charged with continually shoring up the secondary, which still could use some specific personnel changes despite recent infusions of promising talent.
Luckily for Hurney, this defensive draft class is solid, and runs particularly deep with talent along the defensive line. The Panthers will have a plethora of big, strong and fast pass rushers to choose from at No. 16, should that be their direction. But middle and later rounds will also be crucial, to find both depth and players who could take on valuable roles for the Panthers.
Here are five defensive prospects who should be on the Panthers’ radar at the NFL Combine, which runs from Feb. 26-March 4:
Montez Sweat: 6-foot-6/245, DE, Mississippi State (R1)
If Sweat fell to No. 16 in this year’s NFL draft, it would be crazy to pass on him. The defensive end turned just about every head present at the Senior Bowl in January, and went from somewhat unknown in mainstream circles to a first-round prospect.
Sweat is long (and long-armed), strong and explosive, which fits the style of pass rusher Carolina has enjoyed in the past.
He’s not just a pass rusher, either — Sweat can set a mean edge in run defense, which makes him appealing in light of the Panthers’ need for a starting defensive end.
It will be interesting, as the pre-draft process continues, to see who Sweat compares to on the NFL level. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein compares him to Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Germaine Pratt: 6-foot-3/245, LB/DE, N.C. State (Rs 3-4)
As one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s defensive draft class, Pratt’s versatility seems fairly limitless. He switched from safety to linebacker in 2016, but was used all over the front seven in his final two years at N.C. State.
Pratt was highly productive in 2018, his first in a full-time starting role, with 104 tackles (10 for a loss) and six sacks. He has improved every year as he’s continued to learn about the linebacker and defensive end positions and packages, with some clear improvements yet to be made. But the tools are there: He’s a tackling machine, with good speed and tenacity and appears to be a quick learner, based on his production spike over the years. His ability to move around in different positions also opens up defensive possibilities for Carolina, which will use both 4-3 and 3-4 concepts in 2019.
The best thing for the Panthers would be to hone in on Pratt early as a Day 2 candidate, and hope he stays a little bit under the radar.
But, he probably won’t.
Clelin Ferrell: 6-foot-5/260, DE, Clemson (R1)
Could this be the year Carolina finally drafts a Clemson player?
Ferrell is consistently an explosive, physical defensive end who will be a first-year impact starter in the NFL. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that Ferrell falling to the No. 16 pick was even a glimmer of hope for Panthers fans. But quarterback Kyler Murray’s entrance into the draft and the emergence of Sweat as a fast-rising prospect means there’s a chance Carolina can select one of the best overall prospects in the 2019 draft in Ferrell.
Julian Love: 5-foot-11/195, CB/nickel, Notre Dame (Rs 3-4)
The Panthers are slated to receive a third-round compensatory pick in this year’s draft. In my mind, that feels like a great time to pick up a young, athletic nickelback.
Carolina relies heavily on its nickel package, whether traditionally or using a bigger linebacker/safety combination. The position has become increasingly important to combat the speed and versatility of receivers out of the slot, which must be mirrored in the cornerback assigned to them.
Love is that kind of player. He’s a sure-tackling ball-hawk who defensed 36 passes in the past two seasons with the Irish.
He might be a good replacement for veteran nickel Captain Munnerlyn, if the Panthers decide to designate Munnerlyn as a post-June 1 cut to make some salary cap room.
Love certainly has the ball skills the Panthers want. But Carolina must also evaluate whether Love has the speed they desire to bring into the nickel position.
Charles Omenihu: 6-foot-6/275, DT/DE, Texas (Rs 2-3)
Omenihu is a little under the radar behind guys like Sweat, Ferrell, Jachai Polite (Florida) and Brian Burns (Florida State), so he could be available to the Panthers in the second round. He has great size and speed, and is a stout run defender — something the Panthers value, and have missed a guy who can effectively set an edge since former defensive end Charles Johnson retired after the 2017 season.
But what makes Omenihu particularly interesting as a prospect is his high-level versatility. He can play on the interior as well as off the edge, and has the capacity to be productive in both areas. It’s hard to know whether he could start right away in the NFL, but Carolina historically has liked having a couple of high-potential development guys in their defensive line room.
With the Panthers shifting toward becoming as multiple as possible — meaning they’ll play their 4-3 base, but also use a lot of three-man fronts as the situation dictates — Omenihu’s versatility could be a real asset.
This story was originally published February 25, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
