Panthers mock draft: How Carolina lands its ‘QB of the future’ with big deal
The Carolina Panthers’ pursuit of a new franchise quarterback is not expected to include Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, according to a league source. With the franchise-tagged former MVP seemingly out of the mix, the Panthers will need to turn their attention to the NFL draft to identify their next face of the franchise.
With the NFL combine over and done with, The Observer decided to put together its first Panthers-only mock draft of the offseason (with the help of the Pro Football Focus Mock Draft Simulator). Since the sole focus of this mock draft is the Panthers, trades were included in this exercise to determine how Carolina would climb the board for a top quarterback prospect.
Here is our first Panthers-only mock draft of the offseason:
Trade!
The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick, and boy, are they stubborn. Not willing to trade all the way down to No. 9 without three first-round picks coming their way, the Bears balk on the attempts of Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer to land his top target with the first overall selection.
Instead, the Bears trade down to No. 4 to allow the Indianapolis Colts to jump the Houston Texans and select Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud. Since the Bears are only dropping back three spots, the Colts only needed to include the fourth overall pick, the 35th overall pick, the 105th overall pick and a 2024 first-round pick in the trade.
Following the Colts’ trade-up and selection of Stroud, the Houston Texans take Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the No. 2 overall pick. It’s time for the Panthers to act and move up the board.
The Panthers trade the ninth overall and 61st overall (second round) selections and a 2024 first-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 overall spot.
First round — Third overall pick (via AZ): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
As The Observer has reported since this past season, the Panthers are quite fond of Levis, who is coming off an up-and-down two-year tenure as the starter for Kentucky. Levis, listed as 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds, is a “cannon” armed quarterback with intriguing traits.
Under former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Levis produced 2,846 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2021. When Coen moved back to Los Angeles last year, Levis struggled mightily, producing 2,406 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while dealing with an injured toe.
For the Panthers, the evaluation of Levis’ ups and downs will likely come down to the way they perceive his coaching setups. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown has a relationship with Coen, and he can probably get the answers he needs from his old friend, who just returned to Kentucky. The Panthers have brought in Frank Reich, Josh McCown, Parks Frazier and Jim Caldwell to help ease in the next quarterback. If that quartet of QB experts can’t get Levis to play at a high level, no one can.
Levis has the size, pocket mobility and arm that most teams look for in a modern-day quarterback. The tools are there, but the Panthers might need to rely on a veteran bridge starter as they prepare Levis for the big time.
Trade!
After dealing away some notable picks to the Cardinals, the Panthers would be well served by trading back from the 39th overall pick. The Panthers find a partner in the Jacksonville Jaguars, who deal the 56th overall (second round), 88th overall (third) and 185th overall (sixth) picks to Carolina for No. 39.
Second round — 56th overall (via JAX): Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
The second round is typically a nice realm for a defensive back pick. Battle is a playmaker in the secondary, and he should complement Xavier Woods quite well in the backfield. Battle played four seasons at Alabama and produced six interceptions and three defensive touchdowns during his career. The Panthers need upgrades in the playmaking department on defense, and the 6-foot-1, 209-pound rookie should be able to help in that regard.
Third round —88th overall (via JAX): Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, WR, Houston
The Panthers badly need an upgrade at the slot receiver position. Dell, a short but speedy pass-catcher, could do wonders for Carolina across the middle of the field. Dell isn’t the most complete receiver, but his role within the Panthers’ offense could help Levis (or whoever they take) at quarterback. Dell led the FCS last season with 1,398 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.
Third round — 93rd overall (via SF): Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
Like at slot receiver, the Panthers should be looking for upgrades at nickel cornerback. Hodge-Tomlinson is a short-but-stout defender who can handle the complexity of the role in modern times. The 5-foot-8, 178-pound corner has the mentality and grit to play in traffic, despite his size. According to Pro Football Focus (via NFL.com), Hodge-Tomlinson allowed 34.6% completion rate last season.
Fourth round — 114th overall: KJ Henry, EDGE, Clemson
The Panthers need to fill up their linebacker spots with the move to a 3-4 base defense under coordinator Ejiro Evero. Henry is a perfect fit for an odd front with a 6-foot-4 and 251-pound frame. In theory, he could back up Brian Burns on the weak side, or serve as a rotational partner with Frankie Luvu on the strong side. Henry also makes sense as insurance for Luvu, who enters the final year of his deal this season. Henry produced 13.5 sacks during his five-stint with the Clemson Tigers.
Fourth round — 132nd overall (via SF): DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB
While D’Onta Foreman’s fate remains up in the air, the Panthers are likely to add a young running back to their lineup whether the veteran re-signs or not. McBride fits the Foreman mold, as he is going to most likely be a two-down back — at least early on — in his NFL career. McBride caught just five passes during his college career, so he will likely to be taken off the field in favor of others on third down (like say, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear). However, he was an absolute bulldozer as a runner, putting up 3,084 rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns during the past two seasons.
Fifth round — 147th overall: Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
As previously mentioned, the Panthers are light on linebackers as they transition to a 3-4 attack. Williams is sideline-to-sideline defender with intriguing athleticism. The Indian Land, South Carolina, native would make a lot of sense opposite a thumper at inside linebacker. He also has the traits and speed to thrive on special teams as a rookie. He could see situational work as a dime linebacker early in his career, especially if the Panthers move on from Shaq Thompson this offseason.
Sixth round — 185th overall (via JAX): Davis Allen, TE, Clemson
The Panthers could use an upgrade at tight end. However, in this scenario, the board just didn’t match up correctly to fill that need. But Allen is a nice depth piece who can contribute in a rotation on offense and handle some special teams duties as well. Allen has a 6-foot-6 and 250-pound frame, which could lead to him being a red-zone specialist early on in his career. He caught 12 touchdown passes in his final three years at Clemson.
This story was originally published March 8, 2023 at 12:18 PM.
