Which notable pro days will the Carolina Panthers be watching ahead of the NFL Draft?
.JPG "Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett fakes a quarterback slide, digging his right toe into the artificial turf as if he is going down, before rising back up and finishing a 58-yard touchdown run against Wake Forest during the first quarter of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. Pitt won, 45-21.")
Most of the top quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL draft are expected to hold their pro days this week, and coach Matt Rhule and other Panthers staff members are expected to be at most, if not all of them.
As free agency continues this week, the quarterback position remains one of the Panthers’ top priorities. And if Carolina can’t find one there, or via trade, then the draft is the next option.
The first among the top pro days was Pitt, and the Panthers sent the whole house to see quarterback Kenny Pickett, who remains one of the more intriguing options.
Among the Panthers’ staff at Pickett’s pro day were coach Matt Rhule, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, general manager Scott Fitterer, assistant general manager Dan Morgan and quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan.
Liberty’s Malik Willis and Matt Corral of Ole Miss are also options.
Most draft experts say it would be a reach to grab one of these quarterbacks with the sixth pick. But Carolina is still looking at it.
Last year, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance both raised their draft stock after their pro days. They were drafted No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. Perhaps one of quarterbacks in this draft can raise their stock at their pro day, too.
Corral was one of the few quarterbacks who didn’t work out at the combine as he worked his way back from an ankle injury.
The Panthers’ other priority is at left tackle, a position that hasn’t been solidified since Jordan Gross retired in 2013. Since then, Carolina has only found temporary solutions, many of which did not work.
This draft is said to be deep with offensive tackles. While drafting one sixth overall seems like the most logical option, Carolina could also trade back and gather more assets and get one later in the round. The Panthers could also move Brady Christensen to left tackle, if they prefer to draft a quarterback.
The NFL draft begins on April 28.
Here is a list of notable Pro Days this week:
▪ QB Kenny Pickett (Pitt) - Monday, March 21, 2 p.m.
▪ QB Malik Willis (Liberty) - Tuesday, March 22, 9 a.m.
▪ OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State) - Tuesday, March 22, 2 p.m.
▪ QB Matt Corrall (Ole Miss) - Thursday, March 24, 12:30 p.m.
▪ S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame) - Friday, March 25, 9:30 a.m.
▪ QB Sam Howell (North Carolina) - Monday, March 28, 9 a.m.
▪ OT Ikem Ekwonu (N.C. State) - Tuesday, March 29, noon
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 11:44 AM.
