Mock draft season is in full swing, as the Carolina Panthers are officially just a few weeks away from kickstarting the NFL Draft with their first-overall selection. While they will obviously take a quarterback with that pick, they still have a whole lot of work to do in order to turn this roster around and build a perennial contender.
Note that this exercise was performed using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Machine. If the player was on the board when the Panthers were on the clock, they were fair game. Also note that this exercise does not include trades.
Seven-Round Carolina Panthers Mock Draft
First Round (1st Overall) – CJ Stroud, QB
This Panthers mock draft starts out with the obvious choice in quarterback CJ Stroud. While the Ohio State product doesn’t have the highest ceiling and probably won’t ever turn into Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback is the safest prospect in the class and should be able to compete with Andy Dalton for the starting spot from Day 1. For the first time since T.J. Watt hit Cam Newton’s shoulder, the Panthers have some genuine hope for the future under center.
Second Round (39th Overall) – Michael Mayer, TE
Will Michael Mayer still be on the board when the Carolina Panthers are on the clock? Crazier things have happened, and if this situation comes to fruition, then the Panthers have to pull the trigger. Carolina has been searching for a proper heir to Greg Olsen for quite some time, so they might as well get one of the best tight end prospects of the past decade.
Michael Mayer might not be the same physical freak as peak Rob Gronkowski, but he’s incredibly polished and can already do all the little things well. Some appear to be lower on him after some relatively disappointing athletic testing, but he’s still an 80th-percentile athlete. He’s the closest thing this draft has to a can’t-miss prospect at tight end, and Stroud would certainly love to have somebody this reliable to grow with.
Michael Mayer NFL Draft Profile
Michael Mayer may not be the most explosive TE in this class, but he knows how to sell a route. Reminds me a lot of Hunter Henry.
Plus, even when he's covered, he's still open pic.twitter.com/sBfEMcAS0D
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) April 6, 2023
Third Round (93rd Overall) – Tyler Scott, WR
If starting off this Panthers mock draft with three consecutive offensive players feels excessive, just take a look at the depth chart. With DJ Moore in Chicago, Carolina’s top receiving options are an aging Adam Thielen and DJ Chark on a one-year deal. The Panthers need to find more young receiving talent, and Tyler Scott might be the man for the job. Scott possesses elite deep speed and is absolutely electric every single time he touches the ball. While his route running could use some work, the sky is the limit if he pans out.
Fourth Round (114th Overall) – Ivan Pace, LB
After attacking the offensive side of the ball on Days 1 and 2, it’s finally time for the Panthers mock draft to focus on the defense. Ivan Pace might not be the biggest guy in the world, but his relatively small frame didn’t stop him from constantly bringing down ball carriers and making plays on the football. Perhaps everyone in the NFL will be too big and strong for him, but he’s proven everyone wrong up till this point in his career.
Fourth Round (132nd Overall) – Ronnie Hickman, S
As is commonly the case with Day 3 selections, there are a few glaring flaws in Ronnie Hickman’s game – namely, his lack of speed. While he lacks the range to play deep safety in Cover-1 coverages, he has the size to make a living as a box safety, delivering big hits and matching up in man coverage against tight ends and bigger slot receivers. If utilized properly, he could be a starting-caliber safety.
Fifth Round (145th Overall) – Parker Washington, WR
This Panthers mock draft wraps up with another selection to make CJ Stroud’s life as easy as possible. Parker Washington isn’t a big-play threat, nor is he the type of guy that will earn 100+ targets per season. What he is, however, is a reliable option over the middle that will sacrifice his body to ensure he hauls in everything thrown his way. For a rookie quarterback, having a security blanket like him can be an invaluable resource.
Parker Washington NFL Draft Profile
Main Photo: Adam Cairns – USA Today Sports
