With Julius Peppers announcing his retirement from the NFL this weekend, the Panthers now have an even greater need for defensive ends. Fortunately, the 2019 draft class has a number of solid prospects at the position. As we continue our look at potential fits for Carolina at positions of need, we’ll move to the edge and check out a few defensive end prospects of note. Here’s six players who could help.
Jachai Polite, Florida
A former three-star recruit, Polite has grown into a very intriguing prospect. He has good speed coming around the corner, the ability to crash inside and doesn’t get beat up a lot by opposing linemen in the run game. He spent a lot of time in the backfield in 2018, racking up 19.5 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks for the Gators. Playing a lot from a two-point stance, Polite should bode well as a 3-4 outside linebacker, something he could do in Carolina should the team make the switch next season from the 4-3. He is only listed at 240 pounds (though he may weigh in more at the Combine) but he makes up for it with his speed.
Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
Sweat is a bully. His strength stands out on film right away. Rarely does he get pushed around. Sweat is always hustling upfield and toward the quarterback. He posted back-to-back double-digit seasons in both sacks and tackles for a loss in his two years at Mississippi State after transferring from Michigan State. He weighed in a 252 pounds at the Senior Bowl and we’ve all seen the video of his dominating practice performance in Mobile.
Zach Allen, Boston College
Allen is an interesting prospect. Though his numbers didn’t quite show it (he had no more than 6.5 sacks in a given season), Allen can get after the quarterback and apply pressure. He did compile 40.5 tackles for a loss in his last three seasons at Boston College and is disciplined at the line of scrimmage against the run. He consistently stays home and sets the edge.
Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
While he’s not as quick as others on this list, Ferguson is a fighter. He is good at reading the backfield and finding the football. That’s a big reason why he led the nation with 17.5 sacks in 2018. He also posted a whopping 26 tackles for a loss. Only Sutton Smith of Northern Illinois (27) had more. In four years at Tech, Ferguson had an astounding 67.5 tackles for a loss (third all-time) and 45 sacks (a new NCAA record).
Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion
Old Dominion may be a far cry from a household name in college football, but they produced a promising defender in Ximines. He might be better suited in the passing game, where he recorded 11.5 sacks in his final season, though he did also have 18 tackles for a loss. He became the first player ever from Old Dominion to play in the Senior Bowl. His interception against Marshall was a sharp play where he worked upfield and tipped the ball to himself and secured the catch.
Jordan Brailford, Oklahoma State
Brailford made a name for himself at the Shrine Game, becoming a bit of a sleeper, but he was very productive at Oklahoma State. He has excellent burst off the snap. He led the Big 12 with 10 sacks and was voted by the coaches to the First-Team All-Big 12. He was moved around at points, playing some snaps at middle and outside linebacker. In all likelihood, he’s a Day 3 option.
