Five Defensive Players the Panthers Should Watch Closely at the 2023 Senior Bowl

These prospects could be on the Panthers' radar this week.

The 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl is set to take place this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. EST in Mobile, Alabama. This is a great opportunity for coaches, scouts, and GMs to get an up-close look at some of the top talent in this year's draft class. It will also be the first event that Frank Reich will be attending as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

With a couple of days of practice in the books, there are a few guys who I will have my eyes on for the game on Saturday. Let's take a look at some of those guys, specifically on the defensive side. For my offensive prospects to watch, click here.

DE Will McDonald IV - Iowa State

Will McDonald IV does one thing exceptionally well and that's getting after the passer. In four years at Iowa State, McDonald racked up 34 sacks and 40.5 tackles for loss. In addition to that, he forced ten fumbles and batted down seven passes at the line of scrimmage. Absolute menace in passing situations. He's got to clean up some things in the run game to become a true every down player. He's a little on the light end at 245 pounds, but he's not far off of what Brian Burns was when he weighed in at the NFL Combine, which was 249. Most likely a day two pick.

DE Isaiah Foskey - Notre Dame

Foskey is stout in the run game which is primarily why he's regarded so highly among NFL scouts. Although that's his bread and butter, he posted some pretty good pass rushing numbers, notching 10.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss this past season for the Irish. If he lives up to his potential, he'll be an All-Pro-caliber player. Many believe he'll go in the second round, but I have a hard time seeing him slip that far.

LB Andre Carter II - Army

Talk about an intriguing prospect...Andre Carter II is exactly that. A 6'7", 260-pound linebacker that is everything you would expect someone to be after playing at one of the service academies - tough, disciplined, and a blue-collar dude with incredible work ethic. After posting 14.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in 2021, teams zeroed in on him to try and avoid him creating negative plays. I believe he'll go in the first round, but there's a chance he slips to the second.

LB DeMarvion Overshown - Texas

Overshown converted from safety to linebacker following his sophomore year at Texas and it was a smart decision by the Longhorns' coaching staff. He's someone that you want near the ball as much as possible, so moving him down a level to be in the box makes a ton of sense. However, that DB background has helped him become a really good pass coverage backer. Still has some room to improve in stopping the run, but the speed and athleticism is there for him to do so. Not sure on where exactly he'll fall in the draft, but probably a mid-round selection.

DB Julius Brents - Kansas State

Brents didn't see the field much at Iowa but he came a star at K-State. He capped off his collegiate career with a strong senior season totaling 45 tackles, three tackles for loss, four interceptions, and four pass breakups. His length and size allows him to matchup against just about any receiver and that's something Carolina is in desperate need of at the position.

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