Four Pre-Draft Questions for the Panthers

Sparking some pre-draft discussion around the Carolina Panthers.

With just seven picks in this year’s draft and three selections in the top 100, first-year Panthers GM Dan Morgan has his work cut out for him.

The team needs are pretty obvious, but sorting out which positions need to be addressed first in the draft is quite the chore for the new-look front office and coaching staff. With the draft just a little over a week away, I became curious of the Panthers' gameplan for how they plan to execute the three-day event.

Are they comfortable with the Chuba Hubbard/Miles Sanders duo?

Carolina isn’t going to move off of Sanders this offseason, but drafting a rookie as a potential down the road replacement could be in the cards. They could go in two different directions in regards to a back. One, draft a thumper on day three that is a role-specific piece for short-yardage situations or find a balanced speed/power back on day two that has starter potential. But again, back to the question, are they comfortable with what they already have?

Double dip at receiver?

Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson are proven commodities. Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marshall Jr., and Ihmir Smith-Marsette are talented youngsters trying to find their way. David Moore, Mike Strachan, and others are vets doing everything they can to hang around. You have two legit options at receiver at the moment, maybe a third if Mingo turns a corner. Taking a receiver in the second is a must, but I’d encourage the Panthers to strongly consider taking another pass catcher between the third and fifth rounds. 

Do the Panthers view Corbett as the long-term solution at center?

Taking a center at No. 33 or 39 wouldn’t take anyone by surprise. Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) and Zach Frazier (West Virginia) are extremely talented prospects who would be ready from day one, so how does that align with Austin Corbett moving to center? Is Corbett a one year band-aid? Or do they feel like he has the potential to be the guy and they have their eyes on taking a backup center later in the draft?

Is adding a pass rusher higher on the team’s list of priorities?

When you think of Carolina’s needs, you immediately turn to wide receiver, center, and corner. But is adding another pass rusher, potentially in the second round, a realistic possibility? I think so. You can never have enough pass rushers and Jadeveon Clowney, in my opinion, is not someone you can rely on to put up big numbers. Sure, he’s coming off one of the best seasons in his career, but that was on a loaded Baltimore defense. Plus, he’s not getting any younger. There’s some intriguing prospects that should be available at the top of the second round and using one of those two picks on one may not be a bad idea.