2021 NFL Draft Prospects the Panthers Need to Pay Close Attention to
If the season were to end today the Carolina Panthers would own the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. This would be the second year in a row that the Panthers picked inside the top ten. They will not draft high enough to secure one of the top quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) or Justin Fields (Ohio St). They will also probably be out of the running for the top pass-rusher and offensive lineman. Two positions that are highly coveted each and every draft. So, who exactly should Carolina be considering with their projected first-round pick? We're glad you asked.
Here are three players the Panthers should keep an eye on the rest of the CFB season:
No. 1: TE Kyle Pitts, Florida
The 2020 draft offered very little talent from the tight end position. Luckily the 2021 draft more than makes up for it. Florida tight end Kyle Pitts leads the class. The 6-foot-6 junior has 414 receiving yards and eight touchdowns through just five games for the Gators. He is extremely athletic and makes circus catches look easy. Tight end is a position that the Panthers are in desperate need to improve. His 240-pound frame leaves room to add on some muscle which could make him even more of a complete player. He is already an above-average blocking tight end leaving his ceiling as an NFL prospect as high as we have seen from the position in recent years. He reminds me a lot of Las Vegas Raiders' TE Darren Waller. Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady utilized the tight end position frequently during his time at LSU. Adding Pitts would give the Panthers another weapon for defenses to have to worry about.
No. 2: CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
The Panthers addressed the defense heavily in last year's draft but they are still missing a true shutdown corner. Alabama has produced no shortage of NFL talent and cornerback Patrick Surtain II is next in line. Surtain has lined up against some of the best wide receivers in the SEC and completely shut them out. He is currently ranked as the No. 1 corner by PFF and is just scratching the surface of his potential as a junior. He has the length and size that translates to the NFL smoothly. He could prove to be extremely valuable for a Carolina team that has to cover Michael Thomas (Saints), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), and Julio Jones (Falcons) twice a year each. The Panthers brought in some promising young defensive lineman last year and now is the time to sure up the secondary. Surtain has the talent and skillset to be a Jalen Ramsey type shutdown corner in the league.
No. 3: QB Zach Wilson, BYU
Teddy Bridgewater has been solid for the Panthers this season. But after this year he will be 29 years old with just two years remaining on his current contract. This puts Carolina in the market for a quarterback. As previously mentioned the top QB's in the class will likely be long gone. Still, this draft offers a lot of talent at the position. One in particular is BYU's Zach Wilson. Wilson is already drawing comparisons to last year's No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow. While we probably have to pump the brakes on that comp, there is reason to believe Wilson can be a top ten pick and he offers tremendous upside. Like Burrow, Wilson essentially came out of nowhere. He has led the Cougars to an 8-0 record throwing for 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He has great awareness in the pocket and provides above-average athleticism. The more accurate pro comparison for Wilson is a Kirk Cousins type player with better running ability. If he were given the opportunity to sit and learn under Bridgewater for a year or two he could definitely develop into a franchise quarterback.
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