Panthers Should Cleverly Trade With Texans for KC Concepcion in NFL Draft

The Carolina Panthers have a number of options at 19 in the NFL draft. In Peter Schrager's final mock draft, which is one of just two the insider does every year, the following were on the table:

OT Blake Miller
OT Caleb Lomu
IDL Peter Woods
EDGE TJ Parker
WR Denzel Boston
WR KC Concepcion
CB Jermod McCoy
EDGE Keldric Faulk
OT Monroe Freeling
WR Omar Cooper Jr.

Plenty of these prospects have been linked to the Panthers, and almost every one of them would be an unsurprising selection. That's a lot of options, though. We've looked at trading down as a very viable and perhaps smart strategy.

Schrager thinks it's a good idea that very well could happen. He projected a trade back to 28 with the Houston Texans, who used the 19th pick on Blake Miller. The Panthers then select KC Concepcion, who we believe is one of the most ideal first-round targets.

Panthers may want to trade down with Texans and aim for KC Concepcion

Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) returns a punt for a touchdown | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Big boards and mock drafts are not in agreement about KC Concepcion. Some have him as an early second-round prospect, while others have him gone before the Panthers can even get on the clock.

That makes it hard to predict where he'll go and what his value is, but the fit with the Panthers is almost perfect. He provides a speed threat and YAC ability that is sorely missing in Carolina, and he's an elite returner, too.

In this trade, the Panthers also get pick 69, giving them four total in the top 83. That's a pretty good haul, although it is fair to wonder if trading down nine spots in the first round is worth more. It probably is, though that's not the point here.

The point is, this gives the Panthers more capital to further build up what is slowly becoming a pretty good roster and it gives them the chance to draft their ideal target in the first round at a much better value.

Schrager wrote, "Carolina's trade back would still land the Panthers a do-it-all receiver to complement Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan in an offense on the upswing. Concepcion went for 919 yards and nine scores last season."

The Carolina Panthers logo is projected on the video board during the NFL Draft | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Concepcion is a great partner to the big-bodied receivers the Panthers already have, and he'd be an immediate and tangible upgrade on special teams over Trevor Etienne, who was both shaky and underwhelming on kicks last year.

Concepcion is from Charlotte, which makes the pick even better. Local stars are always fun to have, and he's such a good fit for their offense and what they need to further diversify and improve on that side of the ball. It's a match made in heaven.

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