The most important pick the Panthers made in the 2021 NFL draft may have come in the third round when they moved up a few spots to pick BYU offensive tackle Brady Christensen. Christensen is coming off a magnificent junior season that earned him the highest Pro Football Focus grade for an offensive tackle ever after he allowed only three pressures all year.
If Christensen turns out to be Carolina’s franchise left tackle, he may help the Panthers compete in the long run more than any other rookie. That’s far from a guarantee though, especially given the concerns about Christensen’s size compared to most pros at the position. Even if it doesn’t work out on the blindside, Christensen should be able settle in somewhere. The Panthers certainly believe that he will, anyway.
According to Joe Person at the Athletic, coach Matt Rhule says the team believes that Christensen can play up to four spots.
“We thought he was a guy who could play tackle but also would be an elite guard. Whether he can snap or not and has the ability to make those calls, that’s what these camps are for. But we saw him as a guy that had four-position flexibility.”
Person reports that Christensen will get a look at every position up front with the possible exception of center.
If this sounds a little familiar, it’s because the Panthers tried something similar with Greg Little after the team traded up for him in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. So far, Little has appeared in just 14 games due to injuries and has not impressed either at tackle or guard. PFF gave Little a 44.1 overall grade last season.
Hopefully things go better for Christensen. Until the Panthers have a proven option at this spot, they’ll need to keep looking.
