Panthers QB Justin Herbert? Here’s who NFL draft experts say Carolina will pick seventh
Who, really, will the Panthers take with the seventh pick in the NFL draft Thursday? Or will they trade it?
We combed through 16 different mock drafts from 14 websites to see what NFL draft experts think the Panthers will do Thursday night. There was no consensus, but perhaps one surprise.
One well known NFL personality has Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert coming to Carolina to become Teddy Bridgewater’s understudy. But we’ll get to that in a minute.
Including the Observer’s Alaina Getzenberg, eight experts believe Carolina will select Auburn’s Derrick Brown at No. 7.
During a conference call last week, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper told the Observer he rates Brown a top three or four overall talent in the draft.
Kiper said the biggest reason why Brown wouldn’t go higher is that most of the teams selecting above Carolina have greater needs at other positions.
“I can’t see a spot earlier for him,” Kiper said. “The Chargers (No. 6 pick) are going to look (at) quarterback. Miami (No. 5 pick) is going to look (at) quarterback. The Giants (No. 4 pick) have to take either (Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons) or an offensive tackle. For the Lions (No. 3 pick), it’s way too high. I’d say it’s Carolina. ... He would be a good pick for Carolina at 7.”
Simmons was the pick on four of the mocks we looked at, and Florida defensive back C.J. Henderson showed up on two.
The biggest outlier was NBC Sports commentator Cris Collinsworth, who released a mock draft with Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert becoming a Carolina Panther.
Collinsworth believes Simmons will go to the Giants at No. 4, which he says opens a path for Herbert to come to Charlotte.
“Here is my first curveball,” Collinsworth wrote. “After the defensive side lost linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement, everyone has mocked Isaiah Simmons to the Panthers, but since I have Simmons going to the Giants at pick No. 4, here we are. Physically, there is nothing Justin Herbert can’t do. This former big-armed pitcher has streaks where he looks great. At 6-foot-6 and 233 pounds, he can be a very effective runner, too. When he delivers with that pure “over the top” motion, he just looks the part. The downside, however, is that he can be inaccurate; he can also look uncomfortable in the pocket, and fumbling has been a real issue.
“Having said that, Matt Rhule’s offense at Baylor attacked down the field, and there is no throw Herbert can’t make — so why not take a shot at the most valuable position?”
Where will the Panthers go?
A look at who several mock drafts have the Panthers selecting in the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft
CBS Sports: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Charlotte Observer: Derrick Brown, Auburn
Cris Collinsworth: Justin Herbert, Oregon
Bleacher Report: Derrick Brown, Auburn
DraftSite: CJ Anderson, Florida
Mel Kiper/ESPN: Derrick Brown, Auburn
NFL.com/Daniel Jeremiah: Derrick Brown, Auburn
Peter King: Derrick Brown, Auburn
Pro Football Focus: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Sporting News: Derrick Brown, Auburn
247 Sports: Derrick Brown, Auburn
USA Today: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Walter Camp: CJ Henderson, Florida
Yahoo Sports (3 writers): Isaiah Simmons, Clemson; Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State; Derrick Brown, Auburn
