Perfect Picks 2023: Carolina Panthers
With the NFL Draft approaching we will be looking at each team and evaluating where they need to improve. In this particular series we will run a seven round mock using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator and find the ‘Perfect Picks’ for each franchise.
We will highlight four players that could help each team. This will feature picks 1 and 2, a mid round gem and a late round sleeper.
Round 1 - Bryce Young (Quarterback, Alabama)
The Carolina Panthers made the big move of the offseason trading up to number 1 overall and the draftniks have CJ Stroud as the overwhelming favourite for the pick. However, in the interests of fairness, since Lee took Stroud for the Texans, I will select Alabama signal caller Bryce Young. It is what I actually believe to be the ‘perfect pick’.
In my personal rankings I have Young ahead of Stroud. To me, he has the extra range in his passing as well as more of a playmaker mentality. While size will be the biggest concern, Young was relatively healthy throughout college and made an effort to bulk up for the combine. He has excellent pocket feel and in the right situation can start immediately. He may need to expand his off-script plays in the league but his athletic traits suggest that shouldn’t be a problem.
Round 2 - Will McDonald IV (Edge Rusher, Iowa State)
As you can imagine, this Panthers team needs improvements throughout. For me, finding more help on the defensive line was key. Brian Burns is a threat but the Panthers are yet to find him a running mate. Waiting for Yetur Gross-Matos to develop shouldn’t deter them from adding to the rotation. Drafting Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald alongside Burns and Derrick Brown should reinvigorate the pass rush.
While McDonald isn’t a player I am personally high on, his speed and athleticism off the edge has won him plenty of admirers. Weighing in at 239lbs, McDonald will likely be asked to add weight at the next level and it shows on tape where he is lacking in the run game. His sack production took a dip in 2022, from 13 to 6, but the flashes are clear. If spelled with Gross-Matos, it gives the Panthers plenty of options to reach opposing quarterbacks.
Mid Round Gem - Kayshon Boutte (Wide Receiver, LSU)
Having included star receiver DJ Moore in their trade to get the top spot in the draft, the Panthers are now shorthanded at receiver. Adding Adam Thielen and DJ Chark takes some of the pressure off, but they are short-term solutions and not players who will grow with the rookie QB. With limited picks and holes all over the depth chart the Panthers may need to take a gamble to find a starting receiver later in the draft.
There is no bigger swing for the fences than Kayshon Boutte. The LSU receiver burst on to the scene in his freshman season but never harnessed his potential. Injury hampered some of his second year and there seemed to be a tense start to life under new head coach Brian Kelly. Later in the season, there were clear improvements and Boutte had some production as a slot receiver. His physical nature and powerful running style make him a handful but the straight line speed isn’t there. It’s a risk to think he recaptures his early form but tempting all the same.
Late Round Sleeper - Dee Winters (Linebacker, TCU)
Depth at linebacker is a pressing concern for the Panthers. Frankie Luvu is entering a contract year and Shaq Thompson is in the final two years of his deal. Behind them is nobody to speak of. Addressing the position this late in the draft is unlikely to yield a starter or even a rotation piece but Detroit’s Malcolm Rodriguez is a good example of how functioning NFL linebackers can be found deep into draft weekend.
If you watched the College Football Playoff Semi Finals then you were no doubt impressed by the leader of the TCU defense, Dee Winters. Despite only being 5’11, Winters flies around the field and is a tackling machine. Like a budget version of Nakobe Dean was at Georgia. Winters racked up 79 tackles and 9 sacks in 2022 showing his ability to cover the whole of the field. His size will restrict him but a player who thrives in contact like Winters is always with a punt.
Draft In Full:
Round 1 – Bryce Young (Quarterback, Alabama)
Round 2 – Will McDonald IV (Edge Rusher, Iowa State)
Round 3 – Kayshon Boutte (Wide Receiver, LSU)
Round 4 – Jerrod Clark (Defensive Tackle, Coastal Carolina)
Round 4 – Jarrett Patterson (Interior OL, Notre Dame)
Round 5 – Dee Winters (Linebacker, TCU)
