10 Players the Panthers Should Pay Close Attention to at the 2022 Senior Bowl

This Saturday, the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl will take place in Mobile, Alabama. Last year, the Panthers coaching staff benefited from being able to coach in the game giving them an even better idea of how certain guys responding to their style of coaching. Carolina drafted four players that played in the Senior Bowl (CB Keith Taylor Jr., LS Thomas Fletcher, OL Deonte Brown, and WR Shi Smith) and also signed a couple as undrafted free agents (LB Paddy Fisher, OL David Moore).

This year the Panthers staff will be watching from the sidelines as the Jets and Lions coaching staffs handle the on-field drills, practices, and game. Below we take a look at ten players that Carolina should keep a close eye on.

OFFENSE

QB Kenny Pickett - Pitt

A lot is being made of Pickett's small hands but as far as throwing the football goes, he's one of the best in the class. He takes exceptional care of the ball and has just enough mobility to be able to keep plays alive with his legs. Despite his measurables, he may turn into a guy the Panthers fall in love with.

QB Malik Willis - Liberty

Willis is a raw prospect that will need some time to develop. He's got a rocket for an arm but oftentimes puts the ball in harms way. Is he decisive enough to make it in this league? Only time will tell.

OT Daniel Faalele - Minnesota

If the Panthers want to have the largest offensive line in football, they could take Faalele to pair with Deonte Brown. At 6'9", 380 pounds, Faalele clearly has the build of an interior lineman, but has played at right tackle during his time at Minnesota. I don't know how many teams feel comfortable with him playing outside but he's shown he's certainly capable of doing so. For the Panthers, I'd see them either kicking him inside to guard or putting him at right tackle and flipping Moton to the left side. The former seems more realistic.

OT Trevor Penning - Northern Iowa

Another massive o-lineman checking in at 6'7", 340 pounds, Penning is one tough, nasty son of a gun. When I imagine what kind of guys new offensive line coach James Campen wants up front, I think of someone like Trevor Penning. He's got violent hands, a quick punch, and can bury defenders in the run game. He's another player that I feel has positional flexibility.

TE Trey McBride - Colorado State

McBride won the 2021 Mackey Award which is awarded to college football's best tight end. He caught 90 passes for 1,121 yards this past season but is still a name many are unfamiliar with. I get the Panthers drafted Tommy Tremble a year ago but he's still developing as a receiver. McBride is already there.

DEFENSE

DE Kingsley Enagbare - South Carolina

Enagbare is a prospect that is flying under the radar, mainly because he hasn't produced large sack numbers. He's got the tools to develop into a legitimate pass rusher but he is not as refined as some of the others in this class. The talent is there The question is whether or not he can turn himself into a key contributor at the next level.

DT Haskell Garrett - Ohio State

Carolina has to find someone to anchor inside with Derrick Brown. DaQuan Jones, Bravvion Roy, and Phil Hoskins are decent options, but they could stand to make an upgrade. Garrett has the potential to be really good but doesn't play with elite effort on every play. Is this something that can be fixed? If so, he can be a tough presence inside.

LB Mike Rose - Iowa State

Matt Rhule knows all about Mike Rose having seen him in the Big 12 during the first two years of his career. All this guy does is make tackles. He's not great in coverage and doesn't really rush after the quarterback given that he's a MIKE, but he is a technician when it comes to wrapping up. Jermaine Carter, Frankie Luvu, and Haason Reddick are all unrestricted free agents, so they could use some help in the second level.

LB Troy Andersen - Montana State

Anderson is an intriguing prospect. He may be more of an option post-draft but when you get into the later rounds, it's no longer about value. Anderson began his career on the opposite side of the ball as a quarterback where he threw for 1,195 yards and rushed for another 1,412 in 2018. He made the switch to linebacker and flourished this past season recording 111 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks.

DB Jalen Pitre - Baylor

Given that Pitre played for Rhule for three years, there's going to be some interest. That said, a lot of teams are going to fall in love with this guy throughout the draft process. He is solid defender in the back end but can also come up and play in the box if needed. Getting another hybrid safety/linebacker could allow the Panthers to do a lot of things with Jeremy Chinn.

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