If Panthers don’t draft a tackle in the first round, they can target these 3 players
Drafting an offensive tackle at No. 6 in the 2022 NFL Draft is the surest thing Carolina can do on Thursday. Even if top prospects Evan Neal (Alabama) and Ikem Ekwonu (N.C. State) aren’t available, No. 3 tackle Charles Cross (Mississippi State) could still upgrade the Panthers at left tackle.
However, certain things are out of Carolina’s control. Perhaps Neal, Ekwonu, and Cross are all selected before No. 6. What if quarterback Malik Willis (Liberty) is available? The Panthers would seriously consider picking him there.
Maybe Travon Walker (Georgia) drops out of the top 5. It would be difficult for Carolina to pass on a defensive lineman with Walker’s athletic upside.
Each of those hypotheticals shares a common outcome. The Panthers wouldn’t land a first-round tackle. Carolina does not pick again until Round 4. To address a major need, general manager Scott Fitterer would likely target a Day 3 tackle with athletic upside. But finding a Pro Bowl offensive tackle outside the first round does not happen often. A Day 3 tackle developing into a stud is even less likely.
There hasn’t been a Pro Bowl tackle selected in Round 4 or later in the past five years. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible. According to a recent report from The Athletic, there have been more undrafted Pro Bowl tackles (three) than Pro Bowl tackles drafted in Rounds 4 through 7 (two) over the past 10 years. Only 18.5% of tackles drafted in Round 4 or later have made a Pro Bowl.
“A lot of times we see Day Three tackles, who were deficient in one or two areas, but they’re really smart and they’re really intelligent,” The Athletic’s draft analyst Dane Brugler told The Observer. “Everyone on NFL offensive lines and defensive lines are big and they’re gifted. But at this point, it’s all about technical skills. It’s all about processing. You want guys that understand the biomechanics of the position.”
Are there any Day 3 tackles who fit that description? After talking with draft scouts and analysts, here are three names that keep surfacing
Tackles for Panthers to draft
▪ Name: Ryan Van Demark (6-foot-7, 282 pounds)
▪ School: UConn
▪ Year: Senior
Scouts rave about UConn tackle Ryan Van Demark’s length. His 35.5-inch arms are exactly what evaluators look for. He started all four years at tackle. During his freshman year, he played right tackle before spending the next three seasons at left tackle.
“When I’ve talked to scouts, to coaches about him, they say the football IQ is there. That he communicates really, really well and gets along with everybody in the offensive line room,” Bruglar said. “He’s been overlooked with the way that program has been in some turmoil.”
The Huskies won four games over the past three seasons. But there is a belief that dropping Van Demark into a pro system with a proven offensive line coach could unlock his potential that went wasted at UConn. Van Demark lacks strength, bend and versatility. He’ll never be a guard or center. But that can be a good thing, too. He has key traits (height and length) that cannot be taught.
▪ Name: Rasheed Walker (6-6, 312 pounds)
▪ School: Penn State
▪ Year: Junior
“Rasheed (Walker) has good, quick feet which really helps him against pass rushers. Of course, he faced so many good ones playing three tough years at Penn State,” the Draft Network’s Justin Melo told The Observer. “He’s a better player in pass pro than he is as a run blocker.”
Walker did not participate at the combine, which is why he may fall to Day 3. His lack of top-end power limits his abilities in the run game. He’s better when asked to seal or wall-off defenders. Walker’s large frame and foot speed make him a problem for linebackers and safeties at the second level.
Of the Day 3 tackles available, Walker is probably the most pro-ready, though he is still considered a developmental project.
▪ Name: Max Mitchell (6-6, 300 pounds)
▪ School: Louisiana
▪ Year: Senior
Mitchell competed well against Power 5 schools this year in games against Texas and Iowa St. Scouts love seeing prospects produce against the best competition on their schedule. In pass sets, Mitchell gains great depth and tends to beat defenders to their spots. He shows quality lateral movement and redirects well.
He is one of the best mirror blockers in his class, which takes sound balance in both run and pass situations. He attacks the second level under control yet still with power. His hands are always intentional, landing inside chest plates and easily reset when hit with a counter move. He’ll demonstrate advanced pass protection skills during one-on-ones.
Mitchell played both left and right tackle at Louisiana. His position flexibility is a nice bonus to an already rather complete prospect.
At the Senior Bowl in February, Mitchell impressed scouts and coaches. But he parlayed that experience with an underwhelming outing at the combine. He ran a 5-plus 40-yard dash and did not test well in the vertical or broad jump. Which was surprising because on tape he looks like a capable athlete.
“When I turn on the tape, I thought he was really athletic,” Melo said. “He sacrifices a bit of upper-body strength, for ... stability. We do worry a little about the lack of upper-body strength and what you may encounter at the next level but I think he’s a guy that would be worth developing.
