What to Expect From the Panthers' 2022 Draft Class in Year Two

Predicting what the Panthers will get from their second-year players.

There's a ton of excitement surrounding the Carolina Panthers' 2023 draft class and rightfully so with Bryce Young and Jonathan Mingo headlining the class. But what can we expect from the second-year guys? 

LT Ikem Ekwonu

All-Pro? Not quite, but close. As I mentioned earlier this offseason, I think Ickey Ekwonu will have the biggest jump of any second-year offensive player in the NFL. He held his own against some of the top pass rushers in the league while still trying to figure things out, so one could assume a full season and offseason under his belt will put him in a great position for a successful 2023.

QB Matt Corral

Now that Bryce Young is in the fold, the Panthers' 2022 third-round pick has been kicked further down the depth chart. It's an unfortunate series of circumstances for Corral, who never got the opportunity to win the job thanks to a Lisfranc injury he sustained in a preseason game last year. In prior years, the Panthers would be forced to make a decision on whether or not to keep three quarterbacks. But with the NFL allowing teams to have three quarterbacks dressed on gameday without burning a spot on the active roster, Corral should stick around as QB3. Plus, he could potentially work his way into being the backup to Young considering Andy Dalton is toward the end of his career.

LB Brandon Smith

Fast, twitchy, and athletic as h--- is how I describe Brandon Smith. I'm not sure if he'll develop into a starter but the kid has everything you need to scoop up a legitimate role on an NFL defense. He should work into the rotation a little more at linebacker this season after seeing just 53 snaps as a rookie. But the true path for Smith to earn more defensive reps is to become a special teams ace. Using that speed and athleticism to make plays will force the coaching staff to keep him on the field. It's how Frankie Luvu did it.

LB Amaré Barno

I admit, I struggled to figure out what kind of role/impact Barno would have had under the previous regime. However, the switch to 3-4 will benefit him in a lot of ways, particularly from a pass rushing standpoint. He has some experience at outside linebacker, so it's not going to be completely foreign to him. If he shows consistency, he could leapfrog someone in the rotation behind Brian Burns.

OL Cade Mays

Mays' versatility is going to keep him in the NFL for a long time. I think at some point, he's going to get his shot at a starting role be it here in Carolina or somewhere else. He'll compete for the starting right guard spot with Justin McCray in Austin Corbett's absence but once Corbett returns, his role could change completely. Once he finds a home position-wise, he'll start to develop.

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