The Panthers hold the No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft. That should be high enough to land a strong long-term starter to fill one of the team’s many needs. The last time Carolina had a top-10 pick, the team got a generational talent at running back by taking Christian McCaffrey at No. 8 back in 2017.
However, staying put at that spot might put them out of range to pick a true game-changing kind of player. If they are looking to move up from the No. 7 pick, here are the only four prospects who they should be considering.
LSU QB Joe Burrow
David Tepper’s time as team owner has been defined by making bold moves. Some have been quite popular, others not so much. It doesn’t get any bolder than moving up for the top quarterback in the draft class.
The Panthers already have a connection to Burrow with new offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who helped him win the Heisman after a historic 2019 season. It’s hard not to imagine the possibilities of reforming that tandem and seeing what they can do together at the next level.
Burrow is not only the top QB prospect in the 2020 class, some analysts believe he’s the best to come along since Andrew Luck. It’s rare to get a guaranteed slam dunk at quarterback, even for a No. 1 pick. The chance to pair a potential superstar with a bright and innovative young offensive coordinator has to be alluring.
Trading up for Burrow would almost certainly require the team to move up to the No. 1 overall spot, though. The Bengals are in prime position to pillage any team that wants to deal with them. Any package would have to include a bare minimum of three first-round picks, a few choice Day 2 picks and probably much more going to Cincinnati. That’s a lot of capital to give up for as many needs as Carolina has.
Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa
Burrow is the best quarterback in this draft class, hands down. There is a special No. 2 prospect, though. Tagovailoa didn’t win the Heisman during his time at Alabama. However, he did win a National Championship and he put more than enough incredible throws on film to prove that he’s capable of being a true franchise QB in the NFL.
Some folks have suggested Tagovailoa’s arm is even better than Dan Marino’s. That’s going a bit far, but there’s no denying the exceptional arm talent he displayed at Alabama. Before the hip injury, Tua completed 69.3% of his passes, averaged 10.9 yards per attempt and totaled 87 touchdowns to go with a 199.4 passer rating – all better numbers than Burrow’s. They tied with 11 interceptions each. Tagovailoa also showed some wheels, scoring nine rushing touchdowns in college.
Like Cam Newton’s foot, questions about the hip appear to be overblown. Tagovailoa recently went through an unofficial Pro Day throwing session and shared the tape with all 32 teams. His movement looked fluid enough on those reps to not warrant any concern about his health. In any case, if the Panthers are truly worried they can afford to wait and redshirt him behind Teddy Bridgewater for a full season.
To get their hands on Tua, the Panthers will probably need to trade up to the No. 2 or 3 spot at least. If either Detroit or Washington are willing to cut a deal, it’s worth considering.
Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah
All the quarterback talent in the world won’t help if the Panthers don’t fix their defense, though. If they don’t have literally the worst defensive unit on paper in the league, they are definitely thinner at the cornerback position than anyone else.
At the moment, Donte Jackson is currently the best one on the roster. He was benched late in 2019 in favor of Ross Cockrell, who is now a free agent. With James Bradberry having recently signed a three-year deal with the Giants, cornerback should be at the top of the team’s list of needs to address in this draft.
Like Burrow, Okudah is the unquestioned top prospect at his position in this year’s class. Considering how deep the 2020 cornerback crop is, that’s saying something. If Okudah’s college numbers are underwhelming (three interceptions) it’s because quarterbacks went out of their way to avoid throwing at him like Darrelle Revis in his prime.
Several other teams are also pretty desperate at corner, though. The likelihood of him still being on the board at No. 7 is very low. Trading up with the Lions to No. 3 for Okudah would plug a huge hole at a critical position.
Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons
Nobody would be in a position to complain about Carolina getting a prospect like Okudah. However, he would only be a savior for one position. The Panthers defense has been decimated by a flurry of starters leaving in free agency, as well as the retirement of future Hall of Fame inside linebacker Luke Kuechly.
The one prospect who can help fill that void best is Simmons. While he is technically listed as a linebacker from his time at Clemson, he is capable of playing several different defensive positions at a high level. During his time in college, Dabo Swinney also lined him up at outside corner, in the slot, free safety, strong safety and on the edge.
Simmons’ freak athleticism defies description and comparison, but the closest thing to an NFL comp might be Kam Chancellor, who was asked to carry a heavy load for the Seahawks’ legendary defense when it was peaking. He won’t put the same fear of God into receivers running crossing routes the way Chancellor once did. However, his ability to carry tight ends and drop down down into the box and impact the run game is remarkably similar. He’s better in coverage, too.
If the Panthers really want him, they will probably have to leap-frog Dave Gettleman’s Giants, who are slated to pick at No. 4 overall.
