NFL Network draft analyst: 2019 draft loaded with DL talent. Who best fits Panthers?
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah held his annual conference call ahead of the 2019 NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, which begins this week.
Jeremiah’s big-picture evaluation of this year’s draft class is a pretty good fit for the Carolina Panthers’ top needs.
“To me, it’s all about big guys,” Jeremiah said. “Premier talent and depth at the defensive line position. Inside, outside, it’s outstanding. And it carries deep into the draft.”
Carolina is in desperate need of an infusion of speed and starting-caliber talent at defensive end. At their first-round pick point, No. 16 overall, it’s likely they will have a plethora of promising pass-rushers from which to select.
But they have to hit their mark on finding the right guy. That means he has to check a few boxes.
First, Carolina needs speed, length and a strong knowledge of the position. The player will probably be the Panthers’ new starting defensive end, replacing retired veteran pass-rusher Julius Peppers — so he has to hit the learning curve and physical expectations of the NFL immediately. He can’t be a developmental prospect — starting experience is a must.
Second, the Panthers want to be as multiple as possible in 2019, meaning they will use different kinds of fronts aside from their 4-3 base, including more three-man fronts. If they draft a defensive end at No. 16, he has to be versatile.
In Jeremiah’s mind, such a player does exist in the draft: Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat.
“Montez, that’s how you want to draw a defensive end. That’s what you want him to look like,” Jeremiah said of the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Sweat. “He is tall and long and explosive. ... (He has) that unique ability to be able to bend and wrap at the top of his rush. ...
“In terms of being multiple, and being able to do a lot of different things coming off the edge, I don’t know where the limits are when you look at (Sweat), just athletically and all of the different things that he can do. To me, he would make a lot of sense there.”
Another name that has been connected often with Carolina’s No. 16 pick is Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell. While Jeremiah thinks Sweat is the more versatile prospect, there are some key traits of Ferrell’s game that would be extremely appealing to Carolina.
“One of the things that I love about Ferrell is that he never stops,” Jeremiah said. “That, to me, is the most underrated trait in a pass-rusher, is persistence.
“Every year, when you watch the sack tape of the top pass-rushers, they collect four or five that are just pure effort. I think you’re going to get some of those with Ferrell. I don’t think he’s going to be a 14, 15, 16-sack guy, but I think he can be a really good 10-12-sack guy who can also hold up in the run and not have to come off the field.
“To me, that’s pretty valuable.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2019 at 5:05 PM.
