Josh Altorfer's Carolina Panthers Seven-Round Mock Draft 3.0
The 2021 NFL Draft is less than a month away. Most schools have had their pro days, giving NFL teams a final look at the incredible prospects that will be the future of the league. As of now the Carolina Panthers still hold the No. 8 overall pick. The San Francisco 49ers made waves to jump ahead of the QB-needy Panthers to No. 3 overall. This move makes it more than likely that the first three picks in the draft will be quarterbacks. But which ones will be taken?
RD 1, Pick 8: QB Justin Fields (Ohio State)
Trevor Lawrence seems to be a lock at No. 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The New York Jets also appear to be set on Zach Wilson at No. 2. My best guess is that the 49ers take Trey Lance at No. 3, although Mac Jones is a huge rumor that isn't going away. Either way Justin Fields is the odd man out as San Francisco did not even attend his pro day at Ohio State. There is a chance that another team like the Patriots or the Steelers trade up to try and get ahead of Carolina to steal a QB. As of now, however, that is not the case. If Justin Fields falls to No. 8, then he is impossible to pass up on. Fields would essentially give the Panthers a second chance at a young Cam Newton-type talent. Hopefully, the team does a better job of building around their QB1 this time around.
RD 2, Pick 39: LB Jabril Cox (LSU)
The Panthers addressed the linebacker position in free agency by adding Denzel Perryman. That's more than they can say about the cornerback spot. Still, Jabril Cox is too talented to pass up here. Perryman is more of an old-school LB who can knock the lights out of a ball carrier. Cox is a new-aged hybrid that can drop in coverage and even apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He would add another level to Carolina's young, versatile defense.
RD 3, Pick 73: TE Brevin Jordan (Miami)
Another position the Panthers addressed in free agency was tight end. Dan Arnold will be a nice addition but the team would be smart to add a young guy here as well. Brevin Jordan is one of the most athletically gifted TEs to come out in recent years. He will be overshadowed by the likes of Kyle Pitts and Pat Freiermuth causing him to slip into the third round. Jordan's biggest knock is that he is undersized. Carolina could use Arnold in blocking situations and throw Jordan in when they need a receiving threat at the position.
RD 4, Pick 113: CB Trill Williams (Syracuse)
Yes! Finally a cornerback. Trill Williams will need some time to adjust to the NFL and may never turn into a true shutdown corner. However, he has the size and speed that could help the Panthers right away. At 6-foot-2 he has the height to cover bigger receivers. He is a rare CB that seems to like to tackle as well. He also picked off Trevor Lawrence, a rare feat, when he was a sophomore at Syracuse.
RD 5, Pick 151: WR Cornell Powell (Clemson)
This pick goes hand-in-hand with selecting Fields at No. 8. Cornell Powell is a a deep threat that can stretch the field and make contested catches. It doesn't make sense for the Panthers to draft him if they are sticking with Teddy Bridgewater but he makes a lot of sense to pair with the big arm of Justin Fields.
RD 6, Pick 193: OL Aaron Banks (Notre Dame)
So we missed out on the top offensive lineman in the draft but the team did do a good job at adding some much-needed depth in free agency. The Panthers might not have added any big-name lineman on the team but it should still be a much-improved unit from a year ago. Aaron Banks is a nice interior lineman that will slip through the cracks in April's draft. Notre Dame produces NFL-caliber starting lineman year in and year out and this year will continue the tradition.
RD 6, Pick 222: RB Jermar Jefferson (Oregon State)
Losing Mike Davis to the Atlanta Falcons has put a question mark on the RB depth behind Christian McCaffrey. Jermar Jefferson averaged 7.4 yards per rush last season for the Beavers. He is a hidden gem at the position with an ideal 5-foot-10, 217-pound frame.
RD 6, Pick 226: ED Tarron Jackson (Coastal Carolina)
The Panthers have quietly built one of the better defensive lines in the NFL over the past few seasons. Even if Jackson is nothing more than a depth move I still believe he can come in on third downs and pressure the quarterback. Jackson had 8.5 sacks last season and that wasn't even his best mark. He had 10 in his junior year.
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