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This week, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper released his "2020 Mock Draft 2.0". In his updated version, you will find that Kiper still believes the Panthers are best suited for a defensive lineman and leaves his prediction unchanged with Carolina selecting Auburn's Derrick Brown 7th overall. 

"Carolina could lose a slew of defensive linemen in free agency, with Gerald McCoy, Mario Addison, Bruce Irvin, and Vernon Butler all on the market. That makes this pick obvious, as the 6-foot-5 Brown could literally and figuratively fill a huge void for Matt Rhule's team," Kiper said. To get the full evaluation of the pick along with the rest of the first round projections click here. 

Yes, the Panthers do need help along the defensive front, but as I stated before - you can still obtain that need past the first round. The talent at the linebacker position in this upcoming draft isn't near as deep as the defensive line and Isaiah Simmons out of Clemson is a guy that Carolina just simply can't afford to pass on, should he still be available when they are on the clock. 

Don't forget, the next edition of the Panther Maven Mock Draft will release this Sunday. There will be some more changes made as we near the NFL Combine.

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