The Panthers have gotten their guy in each of the first three rounds of the 2019 NFL draft.
After finding a new premier pass rusher in Brian Burns in round one and a franchise left tackle with Greg Little in round two, Carolina addressed their backup quarterback problem by selecting West Virginia’s Will Grier with the No. 100 overall pick.
Grier was clearly the team’s favorite QB prospect in this draft class several weeks before the event began. Beat writers in the know had him mocked to the Panthers as early as the second round.
This is a good value pick. At the time he was chosen, Pro Football Focus had Grier ranked as the best player still available in the draft.
Over the last two seasons, Grier played 22 games for West Virginia. He totaled 7,354 passing yards and 71 touchdowns to go with 20 interceptions. Grier completed 65.7 percent of his passes.
Grier projects as Cam Newton’s primary backup, bumping Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke down to compete for the third-string spot.
He’s a little small for a typical NFL quarterback at 6-foot-2, 217 pounds. However, his anticipation, decision making and quick release should make him a reliable No. 2 for the Panthers at the very least.
