NFL draft projection has Panthers making shocking pick at 8th overall

The Carolina Panthers could probably use another tight end. Whether it's later on in the draft like where they picked Ja'Tavion Sanders last year or by trade for someone like Kyle Pitts, the position probably can't be totally overlooked with the exodus by two key free agents.

However, it's not a position high up on the needs list. Virtually the entire defense should be ahead of tight end, but that's not how NFL analyst Lance Zierlein sees it. He believes tight end could be the pick the Panthers make this year, which is a big surprise, to say the least.

Panthers make shocking addition of Tyler Warren in NFL Mock Draft

There are always stunning picks in the first round of the NFL Draft, like Michael Penix Jr. going eighth to the Atlanta Falcons last year or the Green Bay Packers picking Jordan Love while they had Aaron Rodgers. Sometimes, those picks age well. Other times, they don't, but there's almost always a shocker.

Lance Zierlein believes the Panthers will make the shocker this time by selecting Tyler Warren eighth overall. In his mock, Abdul Carter was off the board, but there were still a lot of players the Panthers passed on here: Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker, Mason Graham, and Tetairoa McMillan.

Zierlein said, "Bryce Young's turnaround has given life to the Panthers, but he still needs more help. Warren can become the perfect safety blanket for the third-year quarterback." It's hard to fault the logic, but Warren just isn't good enough at tight end to be a top-10 pick, and tight end isn't needed badly enough to justify passing on McMillan or the defenders mentioned above.

The defense is in complete shambles, and Graham falling to eight would be a gift the Panthers should not pass on. If they're bent on picking a pas-catcher in this situation, McMillan, a projected top-10 and sometimes top-five pick, would be wiser.

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