There is some disagreement about Center on the Huddle, and as you know, I am known to be the peace keeper, the mild-mannered conflict resolver, beloved by all. So I thought, in the spirit of love and compassion so often demonstrated on this board, to provide a list of prioritized needs. I would provide a mailing address for thank you cards and gifts, but Special Juan would arrive at my house before I hit "Submit Topic" below. (Juan, as you know, I support you and appreciate what you have to offer).
1. Edge (could be addressed today. Do we sign 2, as David "Isaac" Newton suggests? I strongly suggest grabbing one and drafting one in the second round)
2. Wide Receiver (Johnson is basically a one-year contract. Thielen is likely gone after this season if not sooner. We need a draft pick that can become a #1 WR or a damn good #2; I still would not be surprised to see us grab a WR in round 2 and a WR in round 5)
3. Tight End (that's right! The more we ignore a threat at TE, the higher TE rises. If we are going to give Bryce weapons, neglecting TE is not an option. I see a pass catching TE in my crystal ball.)
4. Strong Safety (Unless you are a fan of Jammie Robinson, which I am not, we need one. I see us bringing in a veteran free agent here. There are some pretty good SS candidates in the draft in round 3, actually.)
5. Center (this could become more of a priority if Morgan and Canales are not serious about Corbett. I think they think they have a quality OL at C who is backed by Mays now as a full-time center reserve. I think they think the position is covered. However, I think this will be Corbett's last season in Carolina, and he is often injured. Are you prepared to go with Mays? He played 400+ snaps last season at G and had a 58.3 PFF rating. To me, and I watch the OL, that is about right--maybe a bit high. The PFF score of 60 is average, so Mays was slightly below that. With better coaching and one position to focus on, I think he will be better in 2024 to such a degree, they could even be grooming him to be the C of the future. Breathe. Deep Breaths. Exhale slowly. There, better? I think it makes sense to draft a C late, but grabbing a top C with 2 pros at the position means that they were not serious about Corbett and Mays)
6. Corner (Expect a late round CB for depth Bootle is OK, but nothing behind him)
7 Free Safety (We have nothing much behind Woods. Late round pick or undrafted free agent)
So if we sign a free agent edge or not, here is how I would draft, assuming the cards fall in the proper direction. I am assuming that Corbett and Mays will be the centers and I am going to assume that better coaching makes them better. However, I will take a C if one falls and he is a good fit.
Pick 33: WR or Edge
Pick 39: Edge or WR
Pick 65: TE or SS
Pick 101: SS or TE
5th rounders: WR, CB, or C
So now I will mock draft using this template. I may trade once. We shall see. (https://www.profootballnetwork.com/mockdraft)
Pick 33: Trade
Pick 39: Graham Barton, C While I am sure that the Panthers think they have this spot covered, Barton was the BPA and he would make the OL ELITE. getting an extremely athletic, intelligent center for the next decade to work with Bryce, a very smart QB, is perhaps the best move for the long-term interests of the franchise. Barton dropped, BPA, and there were no good WR or Edge options. A post June 1 cut saves the team $6m, or you have Corbett to backup both G spots and C. Win Win.
Pick 45 (after trade): Adisa Isaac, Edge. Penn State. A very versatile player who would be perfect for multiple fronts.
Pick 65: Ja'Tavion Sanders TE. Texas. A pass catching TE who is fearless over the middle and has good hands, good speed-a weapon. The absence of a pass-catching TE and red zone threat has been devastating to this team, so when I saw Sanders had fallen about 14 spots below where I had him going, I scooped him up.
TRADE UP:
Pick 80: Ricky Pearsall, WR Florida: 6"1" eventual slot WR who ran 4.4 at combine and led others in most categories. Crafty and intelligent. Gives the Panthers the slot of the future, and another intelligent player on offense to pair with an intelligent QB. Before the combine, an AFC Scout said, "I don't know how fast he is, but he gets open and he's got great hands -- just needs a more accurate quarterback." (A: 4.4 40, 42" Vertical, Broad Jump 10' 9")
Pick 142: Kitan Oladepo SS, Oregon State: Plays all over the field. A large safety (6'2" 215) who covers well. Looks like the NFL Strong Safety. Ran a 4.58 40. Still a bit raw, can develop into a starter in right defense.
Pick 150: Jalyx Hunt: Edge, Houston Christian: Great name for an Edge, but this kid is raw and could develop into a situational pass rusher of a Sam OLB with some added muscle. At 6'4" 252 lbs, Hunt ran a 4.64 40 at the combine. His arms are over 34 inches and he has 10" hands. Size, speed, flexibility--all the ingredients are there. I wanted to go with a CB or WR here, but this project is too good to pass up this late.
Pick 240: Quintin Newsome, CB, Nebraska: Upside is the best way to describe him--big CB. Newsome is an incredibly long and physical coverage defender at 6’1″, 185 pounds. He dominates at the catch point with his reach, tenacity, and ball skills. In 2022, Newsome logged 44 tackles, four TFLs, two sacks, and a team-high 10 pass deflections.
In addition to adding a 2025 day 2 draft pick, here is how it looks: