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Final Carolina Panthers Mock Draft

We have finally approached NFL Draft week. Find out what the Carolina Panthers staff writers at LWOS think the team should do in their latest mock draft.
Carolina Panthers Mock Draft

The Carolina Panthers writing team here at LWOS has decided to collaborate and give you three different mock drafts at three different time periods of the offseason: before free agency, after free agency, and draft week. Through this series, we will be able to see how well each of our Panthers staffers were able to predict the Panthers real life picks and what circumstances may change their predictions. Welcome to mock draft season, 2019. All picks were made using the Draft Network’s mock draft machine, which predicts the draft on a pick-by-pick basis and allows the user to make selections for one or more teams.

Carolina Panthers Mock Draft: Final Version

ROUND 1: Pick 16

Alvarez: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

In the last mock draft, Dillard was available in the second round but things have changed since then and the tackle has skyrocketed up draft boards. The Panthers have shown plenty of interest in him and if they are serious about protecting Cam Newton they need to make this happen. Dillard is by far the best pass blocker in this draft class and his athleticism will open up the playbook for the Panthers offense.

Wexler: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

In this scenario, there weren’t any EDGE guys worth taking so the pick was really between three guys: Dillard, Jonah Williams, and Devin White. The Panthers take their plug and play left tackle of the future and hope that a pass rusher finds them on day two.

Gage: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

In the last mock draft, pretty much everyone had the Panthers snagging an EDGE with the first pick. Well, some things have changed since then. It seems that OT is the best route, and Jonah Williams fits the bill. He’s got a big body, plenty of power, and SEC experience, for what it’s worth.

Xavier: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State

Burns has a ton of upside and would benefit from being thrown into the starting job. He’s built like an outside linebacker with the speed and explosiveness of a safety, which helps him win a lot of matchups on the edge. He’s fast, possesses good hand-fighting technique, has great football IQ and has crazy bend. An edge like him could really scare a lot of quarterbacks, specifically Matt Ryan.

ROUND 2: Pick 15

Alvarez: Chase Winovich, EDGE, Michigan

Once you get out of the first round, edge rushers will be hard to come by. The next best pass rusher available outside the top handful of guys is Winovich. Winovich had a more productive career than his teammate Rashan Gary and finished with 18.5 sacks over his career. Not only does Winovich play with a high motor, but he displayed freakish athleticism at the NFL Combine after running a 6.94 3-cone at 253 pounds.

Wexler:  Darnell Savage, S, Maryland

This time around, safety Savage has found his way into the second round. With range and speed to play opposite Eric Reid, Savage is too much of a playmaker to pass on at pick 47. Taylor Rapp and Juan Thornhill were also available at this spot, but I see them playing more in the box and that isn’t what the Panthers should be looking for.

Gage: Darnell Savage, S, Maryland

Last time, I had Savage getting picked up in the third. This time, he’s off the board one round earlier. With the biggest needs at this position being S and EDGE, Savage takes the cake as the best of either position available. He’s too good to pass up.

Xavier: Chase Winovich, Edge, Michigan

People are going to think that I’m crazy for doubling down on EDGE rushers to start the draft, but let me explain. Winovich is no Burns in the speed department, but he knows how to use his technique to get to the quarterback. They both can line up at defensive end or outside linebacker, which is amazing because the Panthers lost two veteran defensive players in Julius Peppers and Thomas Davis. These back to back edge rushers can immediately provide a huge spark to this defense.

ROUND 3: Pick 13

Alvarez: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama

Thompson fits the free safety mold and has good range to play in single-high coverage, which is what the Panthers mostly run. This is a no-brainer here.

Wexler: Zach Allen, EDGE, Boston College

Carolina has a nice pass rusher fall to them in the third, where many have predicted a quarterback to be the pick. In a scenario where Carolina has yet to find an edge, they take one here when one falls in their lap. Allen was considered to be a first-round talent during most of the college football season.

Gage: Zach Allen, EDGE, Boston College

Instead of taking an EDGE in the first round, the Panthers find their guy in the third. Allen is solid in all phases on the defensive end and often dominates his opponents with pure effort and aggressiveness. He may not be a big name, but he could make a name for himself in Carolina.

Xavier: Darnell Savage, S, Maryland

Savage is a steal at this position, this late in the draft. I’ve kept one theme when it comes to this defense and that is “Bringing the Spark Back” and that’s what he does. Savage plays with such passion and aggression that it HAS to spread to the members on the defense.

ROUND 3: Pick 36 (Compensatory)

Alvarez: Joe Giles- Harris, LB, Duke

With David Mayo and Davis departing in free agency, depth at linebacker is a serious concern for Carolina. Carolina is rumored to try out new defensive fronts and if they do run the 3-4 look, Giles-Harris provides them with another true inside linebacker that can play alongside Luke Kuechly.

Wexler: Will Grier, QB, West Virginia

I don’t believe the Panthers should take a quarterback on day two, but I do think they will. They have been tied closely to Will Grier and may look to select him with one of their third round picks. Tyree Jackson was also on the board here, which was intriguing given his skill set is so similar to Cam Newton’s. I decided to play it safe and go with the guy that Carolina has shown the most interest in.

Gage: Joe Giles-Harris, LB, Duke

To round out the defensive selections for the Panthers, they take a solid LB with a high football IQ to pair with Luke Kuechly. He may not have what it takes to be the best LB on an NFL team, and for Carolina, he won’t have to be.

Xavier: Connor McGovern, OL, Penn State

The O-Line has to be addressed in this draft. The Panthers have done a good job bringing in guys from the AAF and Free Agency while re-signing players that needed to be re-signed. McGovern is a project player and with the right coaching, he can become a very solid lineman in the NFL. 

ROUND 4: Pick 13

Alvarez: Will Grier, QB, West Virginia

Grier is a North Carolina native and the Panthers have met with the quarterback three times during this draft process so this pick makes a lot of sense. Do I think Grier is much better than Kyle Allen? Probably not, but at least the two competing should bring out the best in one another come training camp.

Wexler: Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame

Boykin has a ton of upside and adds depth to an already solid and developing receiving corps.

Gage: Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State

This pick may be a bit of a stretch, but you won’t find a better RB for the price. The backfield isn’t in dire need of another back with McCaffrey and Newton toting the bulk of the load, but having a guy like Sanders in a backup role could help lower the workload for the two stars. Though his decision making is a bit of a question mark, Sanders makes up for it with his quick-cutting ability in short-yardage situations.

Xavier: David Sills V, WR, West Virginia

There’s a chance that Torrey Smith will be released after this draft to free up additional cap space along with the money that the Panthers will get from cutting Matt Kalil. The Panthers signed Rashad Ross from the AAF – who was the best receiver in that league – and Chris Hogan. That makes the depth chart: D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, Jarius Wright, Hogan and  Ross. There is still room for one more guy and what better guy to put on that list than a 6-foot-4, 211-pound receiver who is a very good route runner, a deep threat and can beat a lot of corners on those 50-50 balls.

ROUND 5: Pick 16

Alvarez: Mike Bell, S, Fresno State

Drafting two safeties may seem like a bit of a head scratcher but Bell is not your typical safety. Bell was extremely versatile in the Bulldogs defense and lined up at free safety, outside linebacker and strong safety and tackled extremely well. Best case scenario is he bulks up a little and develops into a poor man’s Derwin James. Worst case scenario is he becomes a tackling machine on special teams.

Wexler: Daylon Mack, IDL, Texas A&M

Mack was highly touted coming out of high school and never really put together a consistent season in College Station. Regardless, he has a high ceiling and times his jump off the snap better than any player I’ve seen. This would be a great rotational piece for Carolina’s interior defensive line.

Gage: David Sills V, WR, West Virginia

With the addition of Hogan, it seems unlikely the Panthers draft a WR. I won’t give up hope, though. Sills V could be what Kelvin Benjamin was supposed to be; a huge red zone target with a ton of upside. He could be the key piece of the receiving corps that the Panthers have been lacking in the past. If he’s still available with the 154th pick, it seems like a no-brainer, no matter how many receivers are on the roster.

Xavier: Bryce Love, RB, Stanford

I know I made this sound flowery and everything last time when I made the case for wanting to get Love  with this pick, but I would like McCaffrey to stay alive. This pick would take more pressure off of Newton, but it would also take the pressure off of McCaffrey too. Despite Love’s injury history, he can make a very silent impact on this offense. This duo could be better than Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams.

ROUND 6: Pick 14

Alvarez: Blace Brown, CB, Troy

I am a big fan of Brown because he reminds me of Joshua Norman coming out of college. Small school corner, good ball instincts, very experienced in a cover 3, good length and size for the position. A lot of upside even this late in the draft.

Wexler: Austin Bryant, EDGE, Clemson

A Clemson defensive lineman falling this far should be a no brainer. Bryant has won two national championships and played a key part in one of the best defenses in the country. I’ll take a flier.

Gage: Jordan Ta’amu, QB, Mississippi

With most eyes on Grier in the later rounds, Ta’amu has flown under the radar. Sure, he likely isn’t a franchise-level QB, but he could serve well as a backup to Newton. He can get it done with his arm or his legs and has shown flashes of great abilities in both areas. His accuracy is very much above average, though his decision making needs some improvement. He may be a bit of a project even as a backup but could prove to be a steal this late in the draft.

Xavier: Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan

Bunting could be a diamond in the rough. He’s very good in coverage and he has no problem getting aggressive with receivers and knocking them off of their routes. Bunting also has a really good football IQ, which will help him shut down plays before they even start.

Last Words

Alvarez:

1: Andre Dillard, OT

2: Chase Winovich, EDGE

3: Deionte Thompson, S

3: Josh Giles-Harris, LB

4: Will Grier, QB

5: Mike Bell, S

6: Blace Brown, CB

Defense, defense and more defense. The Panthers need to make protecting Newton a priority but outside of that, they really need to bear down and hit on defensive prospects. Their defense last season wasn’t quite as good as it has been in year’s past and this draft class is loaded with talent. You can find high upside receivers and running backs in the undrafted free agent market. Carolina is taking a big gamble on not bringing back guys like Wes Horton, Mike Adams and Davis Sr in an attempt to get younger. Hopefully, they select a handful of picks that can come in and contribute right from the get-go.

Wexler:

1: Andre Dillard, OT

2: Darnell Savage, S

3: Zach Allen, EDGE

3: Will Grier, QB

4: Miles Boykin, WR

5: Daylon Mack, IDL

6: Austin Bryant, EDGE

If the Panthers don’t get an EDGE in the first two rounds, it could spell disaster. They are in a good position to fill some. I’d prefer not to take a quarterback until day three, but if the board falls this way and the Panthers like a guy, they may feel the need to pull the trigger on day two. I’m not convinced free agency changed anything in regards to draft strategy other than the absolute need to grab a safety as one of their first four picks. I would like to not have missed out on a dynamic running back here, but it just wasn’t in the cards.

Xavier:

1: Brian Burns, EDGE

2: Chase Winovich, EDGE

3: Darnell Savage, S

3: Connor McGovern, OL

4: David Sills V, WR

5: Bryce Love, RB

6: Sean Bunting, CB

The “Spark” needs to be restored on the defense, which is why I drafted so defense-heavy with the first three picks. Burns, Winovich and Savage are all week one starters and they’re all able to help change the culture with other defensive stars like Kuechly, Reid and Thompson. An elite defense will also take the pressure off of Newton. It gets him and his explosive weapons back on the field for more opportunities to score, which in turn results in more wins! (Who would’ve thought?)  With this draft, the Panthers could easily run the table.

Gage:

1: Jonah Williams, OT

2. Darnell Savage, S

3. Zach Allen, EDGE

3. Joe Giles-Harris, LB

4. Miles Sanders, RB

5. David Sills V, WR

6. Jordan Ta’amu, QB

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