Panthers' supposed NFL draft plans could be one giant smokescreen

The Carolina Panthers are preparing to select a player with eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night, and the general consensus seems to be that they will be taking Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Jalon Walker if he is available.

But is it possible the Panthers have been pulling the wool over our eyes? Perhaps Walker is not their intended target after all?

Walker Clement of Cat Scratch Reader seems to think that could be the case. Clement has devised a fascinating argument surrounding the No. 8 pick and seems to think Carolina may actually be heading toward selecting an offensive tackle in the event that Taylor Moton retires.

"The team has been connected to a variety of players over the offseason, but the connection to Walker has been the most enduring. Some analysts are treating this pick as one of the few foregone conclusions of an otherwise hard to predict draft," Clement wrote. "But whispers are rising that the Panthers’ biggest subterfuge of the year has been their interest in Walker as a way of stepping around questions about the future of longtime right tackle Taylor Moton."

Clement goes on to note that Carolina has been oddly noncommittal when it comes to Moton's future, as the veteran tackle has one year remaining on his deal. He also writes that the Panthers have been linked to some of the top offensive linemen in this draft class.

There have been some who have actually projected Carolina to select Missouri Tigers tackle Armand Membou with the eighth pick, and it's entirely possible that the Panthers' plan all along is to trick everyone into thinking they are rolling with a pass rusher when Membou is actually at the top of their board.

It's also important to remember that this draft is fairly deep at edge rusher, so the Panthers can also scoop one up on Day 2 if they feel that replacing Moton is a more pressing concern.

We'll find out Carolina's strategy on Thursday night, but if the Panthers do ultimately take a tackle, it would show that this whole process was one heck of a shrewd ploy by the front office.

Carolina Panthers tackle Taylor Moton. — Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton (72) on the sidelines before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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