Athletic mock dated mar 25

[raleigh-panther]

Round 2, pick No. 33

Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

After drafting McConkey at No. 33 in the first two beat writer mocks for The Athletic, we’re staying loyal to the cause — at least until another wideout catches our eye over the next five weeks or the Panthers land Dallas Cowboys free-agent Michael Gallup. McConkey’s production was down as a senior, when he missed five games with back and ankle injuries. But he does what Panthers receivers could not last season: get quickly in and out of breaks and separate from coverage. McConkey is like Diontae Johnson in that regard, except he’ll be on a team-friendly, rookie contract and presumably won’t be a problem in the locker room.

TRADE: The Panthers sent pick No. 39 (acquired from the Giants in the Burns deal) to the Kansas City Chiefs for pick Nos. 64 and 159 and the Chiefs’ second next year.

GO DEEPER

NFL beat writer mock draft 2.0: Vikings, Broncos trade up into top 10 to grab QBs

Round 2, pick No. 64 (from KC)

Jonah Elliss, Utah, edge rusher

The Chiefs were looking to move up for a receiver (they took Xavier Worthy at No. 39) and found a willing trade partner in Carolina. It helped that they had a long background with Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis, who spent 14 seasons in Kansas City. Besides getting next year’s second back, the move also gave the Panthers consecutive picks — spanning the end of the second and start of the third rounds — with which to check off a couple of big defensive needs. Elliss (6 feet 2, 248 pounds) is too small to set the edge against the run, but he has an array of pass-rush moves and impressive football lineage. His dad played in the NFL for 10 years, and his brother Kaden is coming off a 122-tackle season for the Atlanta Falcons. Elliss had 12 sacks in 10 games last year before a season-ending shoulder injury.

Round 3, pick No. 65

Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

Jackson (6-4, 194) has exceptional size for an outside corner and still has room to develop after starting just 14 games in college. After transferring from Alabama before the 2023 season, Jackson led Oregon with three interceptions and 10 pass breakups and was a first-team, All-Pac 12 pick. Jackson, one of the nation’s top junior college prospects before signing with Alabama over 20-plus other schools, would be a big-bodied complement to Jaycee Horn and give the Panthers one of the NFL’s most imposing, physical tandems at corner.

Round 4, pick No. 101

Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State

Tight end isn’t the Panthers’ biggest need, although they could use another pass catcher after releasing Hayden Hurst, who signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 6-6, 259-pound Johnson would be the Panthers’ biggest tight end if they were to draft him and would present Young with a huge target in the middle of the field. Johnson, a native of Windsor, Ontario, was the No. 1 prospect in Canada leaving high school. His receiving numbers at Penn State were solid but not spectacular. But he was productive as a senior in the red zone with seven touchdowns, an area where the Panthers’ passing attack could use a boost.

Round 5, pick No. 141 (from NYG)

Charles Turner, C, LSU

The Panthers made a big commitment to improving the interior of the offensive line, signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis in free agency. With those additions, right guard Austin Corbett shifts to center after missing all but four games last season due to injuries. Though the Panthers are confident in Corbett, bringing in a center from a deep draft class as a contingency makes sense. Turner began his college career as a tackle and played with Lewis on LSU’s 2019 national championship team. A two-year starter, Turner allowed one sack and was penalized three times over 763 total snaps in 2023.

Round 5, pick No. 142 (from TEN)

Tyrice Knight, LB, UTEP

The Panthers lost their disruptor/defensive spark plug when do-everything linebacker Frankie Luvu signed with the Washington Commanders. Knight had a similar playing style at UTEP, where he had the freedom to look for opportunities to burst into the backfield. He had a huge senior season, racking up 140 tackles (including 84 solo and 15 1/2 for loss), 4 1/2 sacks and seven pass breakups. The 6-1, 233-pounder didn’t miss a game over his final three seasons and could be a Day 3 steal with the potential to become a playmaker in Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 scheme. At worst, Knight serves as a depth piece and special teams contributor.

Round 5, pick No. 159 (from KC)

Tyrone Tracy, RB, Purdue

When the Panthers tendered exclusive rights to free agent Raheem Blackshear, it meant their top three running backs would remain on the roster. So this isn’t a position of need. But it’s not the worst idea to add a playmaker on Day 3, especially one with starting experience as a running back and receiver. Tracy spent six seasons in college, including his first four at Iowa, and was a full-time running back for only one year. Though he’s on the older side, Tracy has some unique traits and return experience, not unlike Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

 

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Round 7, pick No. 240 (from PIT)

Ryan Watts, S, Texas

 

 

 

 

 

[CPF4LIFE]

Dont like it

[raleigh-panther]

9 minutes ago, CPF4LIFE said:

Dont like it

I dont care either way

its just interesting to see how different media outlets interpret the Panthers approach 

i dont know of they just throw things  together based on holes in the roster and hope it sticks or computer simulation 

it seldom seems to go the way predicted 

 

Edited March 25 by raleigh-panther

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I see what they are doing here and I’m ok with the first pick. It goes off the rails for me with the trade of the 39th pick. You are basically trading out of the 2nd round and getting 3rd round picks in 24 and 25.  You can get a probable starter at 39. Doesn’t set well with where we are at from a roster standpoint. 

[Billy Goat]

Ain't no way I'd make that trade. Move down 25 spots in the 2nd round for a 5th rounder and a 2nd next year that will be closer to a 3rd round pick. If you go by the trade value charts we'd be losing in that trade as well. There'd need to be a late 3rd/early 4th for that to even resemble a fair trade if you go by the charts.

Edited March 25 by Billy Goat

[kungfoodude]

38 minutes ago, Pejorative Miscreant said:

I see what they are doing here and I’m ok with the first pick. It goes off the rails for me with the trade of the 39th pick. You are basically trading out of the 2nd round and getting 3rd round picks in 24 and 25.  You can get a probable starter at 39. Doesn’t set well with where we are at from a roster standpoint. 

Yeah, that is some Fitterer garbage with that trade. Terrible.

[PappyMay]

I’d be upset about the trade down too. 33 and 39 need to be day 1 contributors. We need so much help now let’s not wait for it.  Barton, Frazier, Robinson(x2), Lassiter, Mckinstrey, or any of the WRs is what I hope to see with those 2 picks.  Horn is never healthy and Hill is on a 1 year deal so I don’t hate getting the 4th or 5th ranked CB at 39

[WhoKnows]

1 hour ago, CPF4LIFE said:

Dont like it

That trade is awful. We are getting literally no value considering the Chiefs 2025 2nd is basically pick 64 again and it’s a year later. Their 2025 1st plus 64 this year, I’d do.

[WhoKnows]

56 minutes ago, Pejorative Miscreant said:

I see what they are doing here and I’m ok with the first pick. It goes off the rails for me with the trade of the 39th pick. You are basically trading out of the 2nd round and getting 3rd round picks in 24 and 25.  You can get a probable starter at 39. Doesn’t set well with where we are at from a roster standpoint. 

Yep. It’s why I hate seeing all the trade down proposals in here. We saw where that got us a poo ton of pennies in 2021 and no real starters. We had 11 picks and the only real starter from that draft is a guy who’s played in only 40% of our games. I don’t count Hubbard as a starter because it’s only because our expensive FA starter was so butt. Chubba was bottom rung starter but our offense was so bad we felt like he was good. 11 picks and the best we did was a CB at pick 8 who plays 7 games a year.

More picks won’t help. We need 33, 39 and 65 to all end up as average NFL starters or better. If we don’t we’re treading water in the 2-5 win range. Same thing for 2025’s draft. Our 1st and likely top of the 3rd have to be starters and the 1st has to be a legit stud.

[Panthero]

21 hours ago, WhoKnows said:

Yep. It’s why I hate seeing all the trade down proposals in here. We saw where that got us a poo ton of pennies in 2021 and no real starters. We had 11 picks and the only real starter from that draft is a guy who’s played in only 40% of our games. I don’t count Hubbard as a starter because it’s only because our expensive FA starter was so butt. Chubba was bottom rung starter but our offense was so bad we felt like he was good. 11 picks and the best we did was a CB at pick 8 who plays 7 games a year.

More picks won’t help. We need 33, 39 and 65 to all end up as average NFL starters or better. If we don’t we’re treading water in the 2-5 win range. Same thing for 2025’s draft. Our 1st and likely top of the 3rd have to be starters and the 1st has to be a legit stud.

my only disagreement is we need all of our picks to hit. one of these drafts we need to pull a saints and get 5-6 starters from one draft. 

[MHS831]

I love it rounds 1-4.  Elliss is going to be very solid. Personally I think he is gone in the top 50--horribly undervalued on these draft boards because he played hurt--no bowl/all star games.

Mark my words!

 

Edited March 26 by MHS831

[ProcessBlue2]

I like it. I really like Theo Johnson, but I think Cade Stover is the better choice. 

 

Ladd, Legette, and Mitchell are my top 3 of the day 2 receivers but if Pearsall falls to day 2 he becomes the choice at 33 IMO. 

I also like Eliss but no way he goes past mid-2nd. 

I think Audric Estime would be a great fit in Canales' offense.

[WhoKnows]

1 hour ago, Panthero said:

my only disagreement is we need all of our picks to hit. one of these drafts we need to pull a saints and get 5-6 starters from one draft. 

You might be right. I think, just like all the recent seasons, that the optimists here think we have plugged a lot of holes and just need a couple guys and we’re competitive. I’m not there at all. I look at a team that right now has 1 guard and 1 DT that are above average (top 5-10). We have a couple average guys like Moton, Horn, if healthy, and Lewis but that’s it. That’s a team in need of a lot of hits. I think if we get 3 starters in 2024 and 2025, we could be OK but that’s asking a lot considering the picks we don’t have. Also, I’m not talking about a crappy starting TE who’s just better than Ian Thomas. I’m talking a legitimate average NFL starter.