The Carolina Panthers got their guy in each of the first three rounds of the 2019 NFL draft. First, they picked up Florida State defensive end Brian Burns at No. 16, then they traded up for Ole Miss tackle Greg Little at No. 37, then they landed West Virginia quarterback Will Grier at No. 100.
Grier is a Charlotte native who grew up rooting for the Panthers. It seems that the feeling is mutual. He was clearly the team’s top QB target throughout the pre-draft process. Apparently, they even had him ranked higher than the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, who went to the Cardinals.
According to Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated, Carolina had Grier as the No. 3 quarterback in this class behind Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins.
“Speaking of long-held affections, the Panthers’ love for local kid Will Grier was well-documented. How much did they love him? I’m told he was the third-ranked quarterback on Carolina’s board, behind only Lock and Haskins.”
Very interesting stuff.
Grier has a few attributes that will give him a chance to be successful at the next level. His anticipation and ability to lead his receivers are excellent for a quarterback his age. Putting him ahead of the first overall pick in the draft speaks both to how much Carolina loves his game and how differently they appear to evaluate the position than the rest of the league.
It’s a long shot, but maybe Grier will go on to have a better career than Murray. Or perhaps he’ll be a total bust and this particular nugget of information will make the Panthers front office look very foolish indeed. Only time will tell.
