3 Draft Prospects Panthers Fans Will Want to Watch This Saturday
Need some football to watch this weekend with the Panthers on the bye week? Well, you can start by looking ahead to the NFL Draft and watch several prospects that will be on national television this weekend. Below are three guys that the Panthers could be interested in taking with their first round selection.
QB Zach Wilson (BYU): vs Coastal Carolina, 5:30 p.m., ESPNU
The talent has always been there for Wilson, it was just a matter of time before he developed into a college football star - and that's exactly what he has done in 2020. The dual-threat quarterback has thrown for 2,724 yards and 26 touchdowns and is completing 74.3% of his passes.
I still believe that Teddy Bridgewater could be the long-term answer for Carolina, but I do have some doubt. Drafting a quarterback in the first round might not be of the Panthers' interest being outside of the top two, but Wilson is going to be someone that a lot of NFL teams fall in love with during the draft process. If there's one quarterback outside of Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields that the Panthers would take early, it's Wilson. He has a live arm, quick release, and can make throws accurately on the run. He won't be an immediate impact player but give him some time and he could develop into a solid NFL quarterback.
TE Kyle Pitts (Florida) vs Tennessee, 3:30 p.m., CBS
There's not a position that the Panthers lack more depth in than at tight end. Yes, the offensive line needs addressed this offseason, but the tight end room needs a significant boost. Pitts would be a perfect plug and play guy that, unlike Wilson, will make an impact right out of the gate. He is far and away the best tight end prospect in this class and reminds me a lot of Chase Claypool who can run extremely well for his size. This should be a game where Pitts puts on a show and adds to his already impressive numbers. He has 29 receptions for 513 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season.
With the amount of weapons the Panthers have on offense, it may not be a big need for them in the draft and could be something they address in free agency. Taking a tight end in the top ten of the draft could be a bit of a stretch.
CB Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) vs LSU, 8 p.m., CBS
Carolina has two solid corners in Donte Jackson and Rasul Douglas but neither one of them are going to be shutdown guys. Couple that with the lack of depth the team has at the position and it makes it a no-brainer for Carolina to seriously consider a corner in the first round. According to Pro Football Focus, Surtain II is the highest graded cornerback in college football with a 89.2 grade. He eliminates the deep ball and has the length (6'2", 202 lbs) to matchup with just about any receiver on the field.
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