John Pentol's Carolina Panthers Seven-Round Mock Draft 1.0
Team Needs: IDL, CB, LB, IOL, WR, S, QB, IDL, TE, EDGE, WR, RB
Round 1, Pick 7: DL Derrick Brown (Auburn)
Brown is considered to be the best interior defensive lineman in this years draft. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 318-pounds, Brown is able to use his size combined with strong hands to beat lineman off the snap and get to the quarterback. He finished his senior season with Auburn by accounting for 55 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. Look for Brown to make an impact immediately as he will fit in perfectly with Phil Snow's defense schemes.
Round 2, Pick 38: LB Patrick Queen (LSU)
Despite the Panthers missing out on Isaiah Simmons in the first round, drafting Patrick Queen isn't a bad second option. His strong football IQ along with phenomenal instincts make him a perfect option for the Carolina defense. LSU used him a lot in pass defense as he was able to use his speed to shut down opposing tight ends and wide receivers and does an excellent job staying in coverage. Queen never allowed a reception longer than 20 yards on 488 career coverage snaps. Queen has a great sense of where the football is at all times and finds himself involved in every play. Now that Luke Kuechly has retired, he Panthers have a need at linebacker, and Queen would be a perfect fit in the Queen City.
Round 3, Pick 69: CB Damon Arnette (Ohio State)
Arnette reminds me of Josh Norman 2.0 standing at a similar 6-foot and 195 pounds. His best trait is his man coverage technique as he plays very physical. He is good at keeping his eyes in the backfield and being able to time route breaks to get to the ball first and make a play. His press skills are one of the best in the draft and with his quickness can get back in the play if he were to get beat, which doesn't happen often. This all being said, his tackling is where he needs to improve. With James Bradberry now gone, Carolina must make it a priority to get a young, talented corner and Arnette could be a lock-down guy the Panthers can depend on.
Round 4, Pick 113: TE Devin Asiasi (UCLA)
The Panthers now have to fill the hole at tight end since Greg Olsen has left and signed with the Seattle Seahawks. Earlier this offseason, Carolina waived tight end Marcus Baugh, leaving only three tight ends on the roster - all of which are very inexperienced. Asiasi is one of the best tight ends in the draft due to his ability to be able to be a reliable pass catcher and run blocker. He is very physical when he runs his routes and always makes the catch when he is open and is good at creating more yards after the catch. It would be exciting to watch him lead block for Christian McCaffrey as he will carve a path to the end zone for CMC. The only downside I have found is that Asiasi has trouble making a catch in traffic.
Round 5, Pick 148: S Kenny Robinson (West Virginia)
Kenny Robinson is one of the most exciting players in this year's draft due to his backstory. After three excellent years at West Virginia, Robinson left school due to being dismissed for academic fraud, but was able to play last year in the XFL for the St. Louis Battlehawks. Robinson is one of the true ballhawks in this years draft and plays a very physical style of defense as he eliminates big plays for opposing offenses. Robinson will need to focus on improving his control in the NFL as he had missed tackles at both West Virginia and in the XFL.
Round 5, Pick 152: WR Devin Duvernay (Texas)
Wide Receiver isn't one of the Panthers' top needs, but Duvernay brings incredible speed and reliable hands and should be acquired if he is available. He doesn't drop passes no matter what route he is running. He has a strong ability to play through contact, and combining that with his speed and athleticism, he should be able to create vertical separation and be able to make plays down the field. Durernay could learn a lot from guys like Robby Anderson and DJ Moore about taking that next leap from college to the NFL.
Round 6, Pick 184: OT Justin Herron (Wake Forest)
Herron had a strong senior season after recovering from an ACL tear in 2018. His pass protection skills are high as he is able to slow down rushers from getting to the quarterback. He is very patient and works hard to maintain his ground and lets his quick feet work for him. Herron needs to improve his run blocking but luckily for him Carolina is a pass first team. Carolina's offensive line needs to improve and this would be a big first step in the right direction.
Round 7, Pick 221: EDGE Trevis Gipson (Tulsa)
Not many people know about Gipson but he possesses an explosive first step. After losing Bruce Irvin to the Seattle Seahawks, Gipson can step in and be a third down pass rusher. His best move is his rip and dip which allows him to turn around corners and beat lineman to the quarterback. He isn't as impactful in slowing down the run so look for Gipson to come in only on clear third down passing situations.
How do you feel about this mock draft? Would you be happy with these guys? Should the Panthers draft different guys? Let us know in the comments below and interact with us on social media.
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