Panthers Select a QB in Matt Miller's 2021 NFL Mock Draft
The 2020 NFL Draft wrapped up just this past Saturday, most recently with teams signing undrafted free agents, but that doesn’t stop draft experts from previewing next year’s draft. Bleacher Report’s lead NFL Draft writer, Matt Miller, came out with his first 2021 NFL mock draft on Monday. The Carolina Panthers were projected to have the fourth pick in the draft which suggests that the team would most likely go under their projected 2020 win total of 5.5.
Miller’s prediction for the Panthers’ draft pick was quite interesting as mocked the team to select North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance. The last top draft pick to come out of North Dakota State is Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz and since his departure, the school has continued to cement themselves as the best FCS football program winning seven of the last FCS Championships. Trey Lance is the latest Bison signal call who will likely be near the top of every NFL general manager’s draft boards next spring.
The Panthers recently signed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million deal this offseason so many would question why Miller predicted that Carolina would draft a quarterback just a season later. If you look at Bridgewater’s contract, the Panthers have the option to get out of the deal after year two, following the 2021 season. The team may see Bridgewater as the bridge until they get an opportunity to draft a franchise-caliber quarterback in the draft. Teams with that opportunity typically don’t pass that up unless they are certain their current quarterback is the franchise’s long-term option going forward.
The Panthers are likely unsure whether Teddy Bridgewater is their long-term option under center so they won’t have a proper evaluation until he plays a full season or two with the team. Bridgewater has only started six games since the 2015 NFL season - going 5-0 with New Orleans in 2019 - so there isn’t absolute certainty that he is a franchise-level quarterback yet but he will surely get his chance with the Panthers in 2020. He will be surrounded by a plethora of offensive weapons, especially at wide receiver, so it should be clear if he is worthy of investing in and building your team around.
If Teddy Bridgewater does not pan out be the Panthers answer at quarterback and the team has an opportunity to select a player with the talents of North Dakota State's Trey Lance at the top of the draft, then they should pull the trigger without a doubt. The 6’3”, 224-pound redshirt freshman had a breakout season in 2019 for the Bison where he showcased his elite dual-threat capabilities which are in such high demand in today's NFL. He racked up a stunning 2,786 passing yards, throwing for 28 touchdowns with zero interceptions, to go along with 1,100 yards on the ground and 14 rushing touchdowns. A quarterback with that type of versatility and skill would flourish in Matt Rhule and Joe Brady’s offense especially when surrounded by elite playmakers such as Christian McCaffrey, Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore, and others.
It’s obviously way too early to predict how the Panthers 2020 NFL season will play out or to predict if Teddy Bridgewater is their future option at quarterback but it is always wise to look towards the future. Matt Rhule did say that the Panthers aren’t “building towards the next 12 months but the next 12 years.” If Teddy ends up not being their guy and Carolina ends up with a top pick in next April’s draft, North Dakota State’s star quarterback Trey Lance would be an intriguing possibility to help captain the ship for Matt Rhule and this young Panthers team.
Do you think Teddy Bridgewater is a long-term option or just a bridge until the Panthers find their next young quarterback in the draft? Let us know your thoughts below and connect with other Panthers fans!
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