Grading the Carolina Panthers 2021 NFL Draft Class

Schuyler Callihan: A-

I may have disagreed with passing on Justin Fields or Rashawn Slater in the first round but there is no denying that Carolina got one of the best defensive players in the draft at No. 8, CB Jaycee Horn. I also questioned the Panthers trading back in the 2nd round with several top offensive tackles still available but by doing so, they were able to add picks and still grab Brady Christensen later in the day. Coming into the draft, I felt that they needed to add a running back to lessen the load for Christian McCaffrey. I was concerned that they would overlook it and ride with what they have. Getting Chuba Hubbard was an absolute steal in the 4th round. Also loved the idea of getting Sam Darnold some help at receiver with Terrace Marshall Jr., Shi Smith, and tight end Tommy Tremble who will assume the role of Chris Manhertz as a blocking tight end. Carolina got great value with Iowa defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon who probably should have gone 1-2 rounds earlier than he did. All that said, the one thing that kept me from making this an A or A+ draft is what they did with their final two picks drafting long snapper Thomas Fletcher and defensive lineman Phil Hoskins. I felt that Carolina should have added a safety and maybe a linebacker while signing a long snapper in free agency if they really wanted one. Don't love the idea of using a draft pick on one.

Matt Welch: B+

Carolina got a dog at cornerback, offensive line depth, receiver depth, running back depth and defensive line depth to take care of points of need. I think there are possibly three starters out of the bunch, maybe four depending on how they come out of the gate. Some late-round picks didn’t make a ton of sense. A long snapper ... really?? A corner who has almost zero ball skills ... really? I graded this lower than an A because I feel like the Panthers should have gotten a better offensive tackle and they never drafted anyone to help at the safety position. Overall, most of the trades could pay off. Getting Deonte Brown in the 6th round might just be the steal of the draft.

Tyler Ball: B+

While some of the trade backs were a surprise and kept folks on the edge of their seat...the Panthers picked some real talent in areas they either had gaps or needed depth. I think Rhule and Fitterer added some solid talent. While some of the players aren’t the highest-ranked, after watching their clips and checking their stats...I can see why Rhule wants them on the team. They all play aggressively and are extremely competitive.

Jason Hewitt: B

The Panthers are seemingly all-in on a quarterback who threw more interceptions than touchdowns last season. The O-line remains to be a huge question mark after the draft as well. Christensen could develop into a decent NFL tackle over time, but I’m not sure if he will be able to do so as quickly as a lot of the blind side protectors who were available at Carolina’s original second round spot. The WR, RB, IOL, and TE positions were appropriately addressed, but experimenting at LT and QB is a huge head-scratcher. Horn has upside as a lockdown corner, and Daviyon Nixon was a massive steal. There was an opportunity for the Panthers to go after a safety, but they seem to be satisfied with who they have. All in all, Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule had a vision in place, and they executed it. Will that vision result in wins sooner rather than later? Time will tell.

Billy Riccette: A-

The Panthers found protection and weapons for Sam Darnold and found really good value on players like Deonte Brown and Shi Smith. They’ll have flexibility on offense and they needed some stability at receiver, as that was quietly a need for them. Nixon late is also really good and he’ll get quality reps in practice. The only knock was drafting a long snapper in round six, but if you’re going to draft a long snapper, might as well be one that is pretty much as perfect as you can get with Thomas Fletcher. Just means, of course, the long run for JJ Jansen likely comes to an end in Carolina. But overall, I thought Carolina had one of the best drafts, right up there with teams like the Jets and Browns in terms of quality and value.

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