Panthers enter NFL draft Day 3 with a lot of needs. These players are their best options
The first two days of the 2020 NFL draft are in the books. With three picks down, the Panthers have revealed an unsurprising theme when it comes to their selections.
Carolina came into the draft clearly needing to address the defensive side of the ball after focusing on the offense in free agency. Head coach Matt Rhule has often discussed the idea of a “positionless” player and the benefits that can come from having defensive players that don’t just fit in one box. The Panthers got just that with their selections of Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, Penn State EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos and Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn. All three players are unique at their position.
“I think our plan was to obviously try to improve our defense and really we picked the best players there. I think that coming in to this draft if you would have told us we could have gotten these three guys we would have been really ecstatic,” general manager Marty Hurney said. “We’ve got three guys who I think are going to grow in our defense and really help us out. I think it was more about how we build our defense than it was about our division or anything else. It’s just the vision we have.”
How can the Panthers continue to build on that vision with their final four picks of the draft Saturday? By continuing to find versatile defensive players, ideally one of whom is a corner. They still have to yet to find a starting cornerback to replace James Bradberry. Hurney said that they are taking the best player available and trying not to force anything. But if Carolina walks out of this draft without a cornerback, something went wrong.
Outside of cornerback, the Panthers still need some more depth on the interior of the offensive line, may look to bring in a wide receiver and could use help at linebacker.
It cannot be understated that the cornerback is the most glaring position of need with picks Nos. 113 (fourth round), 152 (fifth), 184th (sixth) and 221 (seventh). Here are some options for how they could fill those spots:
Cornerback
Troy Pride Jr., CB, Notre Dame. Pro Football Focus describes Pride as being as athletically gifted as any corner in the class. His speed is what sets him apart. Not only did he finish his career at Nore Dame with 40 tackles, one interception and six pass breakups in 2019, but he also ran track for the Irish, finishing with the team’s best 60- and 200-meter dash times for the season.
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia. Part of the reason Hall is likely an early Day 3 pick is because he only played six games in 2019 before having to get surgery on his left ankle. He had an impressive 2018 season and led FBS with 22 pass breakups and made first-team All-ACC. He had 62 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles that season.
Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA. Holmes has some of the qualities that the Panthers like, including a strong work ethic, graduating from UCLA in under three years with a degree in African American Studies. While he’s put some mixed play on tape and needs to improve his instincts, the Panthers like someone who is self-motivated and teachable.
Wide receiver
Isaiah Coulter, WR, Rhode Island. Coulter is one of those interesting small-school prospects that someone will take a chance on. He has a lot of potential, but didn’t compete against top talent in college.
Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee. This could be a fun pick for the Panthers. Jennings has a background as a quarterback and his physical abilities are often on display. He could spice up the wide receiver room.
Guard
Netane Muti, OL, Fresno State. Muti has a lot of potential to be a good guard in the NFL. He has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but he’s someone the Panthers take a chance on late.
Tyler Biadasz, OL, Wisconsin. Despite having hip surgery in spring 2019, he started every game at center last season and won the Remington Trophy as the nation’s top center and received first-team Associated Press All-America and first-team All-Big Ten honors. While center isn’t as much of a need as guard, the Panthers need any help on the interior offensive line they can get.
Cameron Clark, OL, Charlotte. While he played left tackle in college, most draft analysts consider him as a guard in the NFL. Taking Clark would be a good pick from a local for the Panthers at a position of need.
Linebacker/Other
Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, Applachian State. While Davis-Gaither is a local player, he would also just be a good fit for the Panthers. Not only he is a great athlete, but he can blitz and fall into coverage equally well. Carolina likes that sort of thing.
James Lynch, DL, Baylor. The Observer, and many others, had Lynch mocked to Carolina for months. The Panthers do not need another defensive lineman. They covered that in the first two days. But it just seems so unlikely for them to walk away from the draft without at least one Baylor player.
JaMycal Hasty, RB, Baylor. Same thing as Lynch. The Panthers talked to running backs throughout the pre-draft process and could be looking to add another backup for McCaffrey in the seventh round or as an undrafted free agent. He could be Rhule’s last chance to grab one of his Bears.
This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
