Self-quarantining may be a bummer, but some of the online content that’s emerged as a result has been pure gold. Perhaps the most notable comes courtesy of the music industry’s biggest names, who have taken to Instagram Live to go head-to-head in some heated beat battles. We’ve seen Timbaland vs. Swizz Beatz, Lil’ Jon vs. T-Pain and Scott Storch vs. Mannie Fresh, to name a few.
For our latest 2020 mock draft, we decided to follow their example and put out a mock draft battle between two of our Panthers Wire contributors: five-year veteran Anthony Rizzuti and the up-and-coming rookie Erik Williams.
Read on to take a look at their mock picks, conducted via the PFF Draft Simulator, to see how they ran their respective drafts for the Panthers. Then vote at the end for which mock you like best.
Round 1: pick No. 7 overall
Rizzuti: Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson
Carolina’s new head coach Matt Rhule places a premium on athleticism and versatility and there’s no player in this draft on either side of the ball who has a better combination of both.
Simmons’ blend of tools – particularly his physical abilities and natural feel for the game – have earned him a variety of reps as a linebacker, edge, both safety spots, outsite corner and even some slot corner. He’d make for an ideal fit for the positionless prototype being brought in by Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow.
Whether you see him as Luke Kuechly’s heir apparent or as a Derwin James-like playmaker, it doesn’t really matter seeing as the team has needs at practically every single position on defense. Simmons offers depth at most of them.
Williams: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
This has been a popular mock pick this year, but Brown is simply too good to pass on, here. The Panthers get the best player available in one of their greatest areas of need: the interior of the defensive line.
Brown’s draft stock has taken a bit of a hit following his sub-par combine performance, but he is still considered by most to be the best defensive tackle in this class, if not a close No. 2 behind South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw.
Brown plays with unbelievable strength and explosiveness, tremendous gap penetration ability, and a motor that never stops. He is exactly the kind of prototype player Rhule wants to work with, and he can start right away.
Round 2: pick No. 38 overall
Rizzuti: Cesar Ruiz, OL, Michigan
If you’re in some sort of rebuild mode, you’re not going to fix all of your problems in one year, let alone in one draft. What you can do is seek out potential foundational pieces to build on. With the remaining cornerbacks and defensive linemen on the board presenting their fair shares of risk, the Panthers go with one of the surest bets this class has to offer by picking Ruiz. His sound fundamentals, quick and nasty approach and consistency should translate immediately at the pro level.
Ruiz could start by filling the void at right guard left behind by the trade of Trai Turner, then possibly move over to center in 2021 or 2022 if the team decides to move on from starter Matt Paradis.
Williams: Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
The Panthers add some much-needed depth to their secondary here. Winfield is a ball-hawking safety who checks all of the boxes for a potential All-Pro defensive back.
Phil Snow can play him single high, up in the box, or even at nickel. He demonstrates top-notch instincts in zone and can hold his own in man coverage. The Panthers re-signed Tre Boston and brought in Juston Burris, but Winfield will give them flexibility in their zone coverage schemes and a true turnover threat on defense. Winfield had 85 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and seven interceptions in 2019.
Round 3: No. 69 overall
Rizzuti: Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
Keeping within the theme of flexible and athletic freaks, offensive coordinator Joe Brady should be more than happy to add this 6-foot-4, 238-pound pass catcher to his tool box.
Claypool put his natural gifts on display at the combine, clocking in at a blazing 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash while registering top-end results in the vertical jump (40.5 inches), broad jump (126 inches) and bench press (19 reps). That all showed up during his four years in South Bend, especially in his senior season when he found the end zone 13 times.
The ceiling is high for Claypool, whether that be at receiver or tight end.
Williams: Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Arnette had a bit of an underwhelming performance at the NFL combine, but his tape is tremendous. He is very sticky in man coverage, a willing tackler and has a quick trigger attacking downhill while playing zone.
Arnette gets a bit grabby on the back half of routes near the catch point, but that is something that Rhule and his staff can work with and coach him up on. In any other draft class he is probably a top-50 pick, but Arnette is simply victim to a very talented position group this year.
Getting him this late is a steal.
Round 4: No. 113 overall
Rizzuti: Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
Robertson’s 5-foot-8, 187-pound frame may pigeonhole him as a slot corner. But who cares when you have the tenacity, instincts and heart like he does? Even despite his smaller stature, Robertson has shown he isn’t afraid of the big receiver nor the big play—shades of Captain Munnerlyn. Robertson is one of the top 2020 prospects the Panthers have held a video meeting with.
Williams: Logan Stenberg, G, Kentucky
Carolina gets value at an area of need here with their fourth-round pick. Stenberg plays with excellent strength at the point of attack, is a road grader in the run game and displays excellent qualities in his short pass sets. These are all attributes that Brady demands from his offensive line, so Stenberg should be able to fit right in and offer potential Week 1 impact.
Round 5: pick No. 148 overall
Rizzuti: Trevis Gipson, DE, Tulsa
In order for him to properly blossom into the wrecking ball he can become, Gipson will need some time to develop. Fortunately, the Panthers will have plenty of that in the first few years as Rhule begins his rebuild. The lanky 6-foot-3, 261-pound lineman is explosive and can find his way into opposing backfields with few steps, making him a threat against the pass and the run.
Williams: James Proche, WR, SMU
Proche (5-foot-11, 201 pounds) might have the best hands in this entire class. He possesses the natural ability to catch the ball in stride and make it look effortless. Proche’s ball skills on contested catches are also tremendous. His route running can definitely be improved, but Proche could fit in nicely as a No. 4 or slot/short yardage receiver in Brady’s quick-hitting offense.
Round 5: pick No. 152 overall
Rizzuti: Bravvion Roy, DT, Baylor
Here’s your obligatory “He knows Matt Rhule!” pick. At 332 pounds, Roy is your prototypical space eater in the middle of the defensive front. Like Dontari Poe before him, he moves quite well for that size. At the very least, he could turn out to be a useful rotational piece for the defensive line.
Williams: Essang Bassey, CB, Wake Forest
Bassey provides great value here in the fifth round. He has great footwork, fluid hips and tremendous ball skills for a player his size. He is undersized for the corner position, but plays with an aggressive and physical nature. He could become a quality nickel corner in the NFL.
Round 6: pick No. 184 overall
Rizzuti: Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU
Lawrence can also help provide some much-needed depth for that now-anemic defensive trench for the Panthers. He’s quick for 6-foot-2 and 308 pounds and exemplifies the character that Rhule preaches about wanting on his football teams.
Williams: Khalil Davis, DL, Nebraska
Davis is a bit undersized, but makes up for it with his tremendous first step and explosiveness as shown by his insane forty time at the combine (4.75 seconds). He is a gap shooter that can play all across the defensive front and be brought in on early down situations.
Round 7: pick No. 221 overall
Rizzuti: Danny Pinter, OL, Ball State
This former tight end’s athleticism alone is worth taking a shot on. At the combine, he posted 24 bench press reps to go with a 29.5 inch vertical. Pinter’s versatility is a plus, as he could develop the pro-level skills to line up at either spot on the right side of the offensive line.
Williams: Clay Johnston, LB, Baylor
Johnston is by no means starting caliber just yet. However, he has all the physical tools to become a contributor in early down situations at some point. He brings a ton of energy to the field and lays the lumber down any opportunity he gets. Johnston could be a great special teams player in year one and provide depth at another position of need.
