Who national experts think the Carolina Panthers will select in the 2021 NFL draft
Two weeks ago, about 31% of mock drafts had the Panthers choosing former North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance.
While that number has decreased some, another quarterback has emerged as the Panthers’ potential pick.
According to NFL Mock Draft Database, which aggregates drafts from various media sites, 14.8% of mock drafts have the Panthers picking former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. Two weeks ago, that number was less than 10%.
There’s a sense among draft experts that Lance could be off the board by the time the Panthers pick at No. 8. If that’s the case, Fields could be available, and the Panthers are looking for their future franchise quarterback.
Here is a roundup of some national mock drafts:
ESPN: Todd McShay
▪ QB Trey Lance
McShay has the Panthers trading up to the seventh pick with the Detroit Lions to block another team from getting ahead of them to select a quarterback. He said Lance has a big arm and reads the field well.
Yahoo! Sports: Eric Edholm
▪ Justin Fields
Edholm has the Panthers picking Fields with the No. 8 pick. He said Fields has the “quiet toughness and athletic prowess” to develop into a star.
CBS Sports: Ryan Wilson
▪ QB Trey Lance
Wilson believes Lance has the most upside of all the quarterbacks in the 2021 draft. He believes all five of the top quarterbacks will be off the board once the Panthers complete their selection at No. 8.
The Draft Network: Brentley Weissman
▪ QB Trey Lance
Weisman has the Panthers trading up to the No. 5 pick with the Cincinnati Bengals to get Lance. He has the Panthers giving up their No. 8 pick, their No. 39 pick and a 2022 second-round pick to move up three spots.
Pro Football Focus: Ben Linsey
▪ OT Penei Sewell
Linsey has the Panthers drafting Sewell with the No. 8 pick. Sewell is considered by many draft experts to be the top offensive tackle in the 2021 NFL draft.
NFL.com: Cynthia Frelund
▪ QB Trey Lance
Frelund has the Panthers choosing Lance in her latest mock draft. She said she could also see the Panthers trading with the 49ers or Jets for Jimmy Garoppolo and Sam Darnold, respectively, and drafting a cornerback with the eighth pick.
NFL.com: Lance Zierlein
▪ QB Mac Jones
Zierlein has the Panthers choosing former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, who was a Heisman candidate and helped lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship.
Sun Sentinel: Safid Deen
▪ OT Penei Sewell
With Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Fields and Lance off the board, Deen has the Panthers picking Sewell at No. 8.
