Panthers mock draft 2.0: Addressing what Carolina still needs after free agency
The 2020 NFL draft is less than four weeks away and the Panthers have plenty to accomplish when the time comes.
The draft will certainly look different this year, with every part of it taking place virtually, but the types of players drafted might change as well. Will teams take as many chances on players with questionable injury histories? How about players who didn’t work out at the Combine, leaving scouts without much chance to see them in person?
The Panthers now have eight picks in this year’s draft. Taking into account the first two weeks of NFL free agency, what should the Panthers prioritize in the draft? Significant help on defense seems like it will be at the top of the list.
ROUND 1, NO. 7 Overall: DT Derrick Brown, Auburn
There are a lot of players that make sense here. Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw, Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah. All good options. There’s a chance Simmons doesn’t make it to seventh overall and the same with Okudah. Brown is a strong option at a position group that the Panthers need a lot of help in. Many draft analysts have described that outside of these top defensive linemen, this isn’t a particularly strong draft in that position group. On the other hand, it is a deep cornerback class, so they can wait a little to address their other biggest position of need.
Getting the line right is the first step in building this defense and working towards fixing the issues against the run they experienced last year.
ROUND 2, NO. 38 Overall: Clemson CB A.J. Terrell
The Panthers have a big hole at cornerback with James Bradberry moving on to the Giants this offseason. On top of that, it’s not a position that the team has a lot of depth at. Defensive back Ross Cockrell is also still a free agent.
With the way free agency has gone and teams like the 49ers and Vikings trading for first-round picks, more cornerbacks might be taken in the first-round than it had appeared. There are a number of players that could make sense here (Auburn CB Noah Igbinoghene, Utah CB Jaylon Johnson). If someone like Alabama CB Trevon Diggs drops that would be a great fit as well, but he might be gone by 38th overall.
Terrell is long and athletic, but has some things to work on, especially with tackling, as seen in the National Championship game. But the Panthers like players they can coach and that have certain skills. Terrell could fit that bill.
ROUND 3, NO. 69 Overall: Baylor DL/edge James Lynch
There have been mocks with Lynch going as high as early in the second-round and other draft analysts moving him all the way back to the fifth-round. Maybe this isn’t the spot, but Lynch could make a lot of sense for the Panthers.
He was named first-team All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last year, leading the Bears with 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks, both in the top 10 nationally. He also had five pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. He’s Baylor’s all-time sack leader. And it’s no secret that the defensive line is a unit of need for the Panthers.
Many members of Matt Rhule’s coaching staff, especially on defense, coached Lynch throughout his Baylor career. They know exactly how to use him and help develop him to be a full-time starter. They know what they’re getting from him as a leader in the locker room and how they could develop him on the field.
On top of that, the restrictions put in place in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 are going to impact the draft selections. There’s no denying that. Teams may not be taking as many chances on players they know less about. Luckily for the Panthers, the coaching staff is steeped with people who know quite a bit about college football, especially those who played at Baylor. Almost the entire defensive coaching staff knows Lynch. There’s no secrets with what they’d be getting with him.
ROUND 4, NO. 113 Overall: LSU TE THADDEUS MOSS
We had Moss here in our first mock draft and he still makes a lot of sense for the Panthers. He might end up going earlier, but tight end remains a position of need. They have yet to find a tight end to truly fill in for Greg Olsen — signing Seth DeValve in free agency doesn’t fill this spot. There’s a chance Moss is gone by the time the Panthers take their first pick of Day 3, but if he’s still there it would be a very logical choice.
Moss was a part of Joe Brady’s national championship-winning offense at LSU this past season and had 47 receptions for 570 yards (single-season records for a tight end at LSU) and four touchdowns, two of which came in the national championship game against Clemson. Brady is now the Panthers’ offensive coordinator.
According to Pro Football Focus, Moss did not drop a single pass in 2019. He fit in well in Brady’s offense and the two are already familiar with each other. The son of Randy Moss, who’s in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Thaddeus started his career at N.C. State in 2016 before transferring to LSU. At 6-foot-3 and 249 pounds, Moss showed abilities as a receiver and a blocker.
And as we said with Lynch, the Panthers coaching staff knows what they’ll be getting with Moss from Brady’s time with him.
ROUND 5, NO. 148 Overall (Acquired from Washington in exchange for QB Kyle Allen): Wyoming LB Logan Wilson
Yes, we know that Wilson may end up getting picked earlier. He seems to be moving up on the daily. It’s more a representative pick of what the Panthers should be looking for defensively than Wilson’s odds of being available in the fifth-round.
This is not a Luke Kuechly replacement. That’s not something the Panthers are going to directly accomplish this offseason. But what Wilson will do is provide depth at the linebacker position and a role as a potential long-term piece on this defense going forward.
He had consistent production throughout his four years at Wyoming and was a team captain for three of those seasons. Draft Network described him as having the “processing skills expected for such an experienced player where his key and diagnose ability shines. He’s physical, urgent and a standout tackler.”
He was a 2019 Pro Football Focus First Team All-American, and one of six finalists for the Butkus Award, which recognizes college football’s best linebacker.
Wilson is a leader, has raw skills and is clearly teachable. That’s part of what Rhule said they were looking for in prospects at the Combine. Someone they can coach.
ROUND 5, NO. 152 Overall: Michigan G Michael Onwenu
Onwenu isn’t a perfect candidate at guard. Starting day one isn’t the type of role he would be filling. But despite being 6-foot-3, 344 pounds, the guard can move and has power.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlien described Onwenu as a player that “with better hand placement and attention to footwork, he can take a step forward as a drive blocker with the ability to move bodies around.” But he also may be a more scheme-specific player.
The Panthers undoubtedly need depth on the offensive line. They lost both of their starting guards from last year in Trai Turner and Greg Van Roten. Because they have so many needs on the defensive side of the ball, they may not find the perfect starting guard in this year’s draft.
Onwenu could be a good candidate to create the needed depth. He is someone that the Panthers could work with and have fill in during certain situations. He played right guard in college and appeared in 46 games, including assisting on special teams. And besides if the Panthers haven’t addressed offensive line by this point in the draft, they need to.
ROUND 6, NO. 184 Overall: Tulane WR Darnell Mooney
The Panthers addressed their wide receiver needs in free agency. There’s no doubt about that. From Robby Anderson to Seth Roberts, Carolina has brought in four wide receivers in the first two weeks of the new league year. There are currently 10 wide receivers on the roster. But many draft analysts have labeled this year as one of the deepest in some time at the position. It’s not necessarily a position of need for the Panthers, but one they will likely continue to address.
Mooney had a 4.38 40-yard dash at the Combine, so he’s certainly fast. At 5-foot-10, 176 pounds, there could be some concerns, but on top of his speed he has shown an ability to break tackles, breaking 18 tackles on 96 catches over the past two seasons.
The one downside with him? He’s dropped 23 balls on 177 catchable targets in his career, per PFF. That could be an issue down the road, but Mooney is the type of receiver with room to develop and is someone who could compliment the team’s receiving core.
ROUND 7, NO. 221 Overall : N.C. State Edge James Smith-Williams
It’s the seventh-round. The Panthers need depth and taking a risk on a local player seems like a good way to get it. Yes, they have already addressed defensive line in this draft, but this is just taking a chance on someone.
Smith-Williams, a Raleigh native, was selected to wear the N.C. State No. 1 jersey this past year for his work ethic, character, leadership and accomplishments. He is a very intelligent player who has struggled to stay healthy throughout his college career, including a lower body injury in 2019 that limited him to starting seven games. He has already been offered (and accepted) a position with IBM for whenever his football career is completed. This is a rare person.
He has made a lot of development with North Carolina State’s strength and conditioning department, adding over 60 pounds since his freshman season, and shined his junior year with 37 tackles, 9.5 for loss and six sacks.
The Panthers lost a lot of defensive players this offseason and bringing in someone like Smith-Williams would be a low-risk option late in the draft.
