Panthers 7-round mock draft update: Carolina solves its biggest issue
Even as the 2022 NFL draft inches closer, mocking who the Carolina Panthers will select at No. 6 hasn’t gotten much easier.
There’s too much uncertainty over who the teams in the top five will pick. The Jaguars, who hold the first pick, could either go offensive tackle Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu or defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
The Lions, who hold the second pick, could trade back, go quarterback Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett or defense. The Texans could go offensive line or defensive line.
Who the Panthers choose at six will depend on who is available.
The Panthers have needs at offensive tackle, quarterback and edge rusher, and will likely choose one of those three positions with their pick, unless there is a trade.
This is our second-to-last mock draft before the NFL draft begins April 28. Our final mock draft will publish on April 27.
Using the Draft Networks’ draft simulator, The Charlotte Observer’s Ellis L. Williams and Jonathan M. Alexander each mock draft who they think the Panthers will pick in the first round and fourth round. They come together on rounds five through seven.
In this mock draft, the first five picks were Hutchinson, Willis, Neal, Travon Walker and Ekwonu.
The Panthers are on the clock ...
First round, Pick No. 6
▪ Name: Charles Cross
▪ Position: OT
▪ School: Mississippi State
▪ Year: Junior
If this is how the draft plays out, I think the most likely scenario is the Panthers choosing Cross. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive tackle is considered the third-best offensive tackle in the draft, and a Day 1 starter.
The Panthers need that.
If Neal or Ekwonu were to fall to the Panthers, I think they choose one of those tackles. But in this scenario, both were off the board, leaving Carolina with a tackle many in the organization are fond of.
At Mississippi State, Cross was asked to do a lot of pass blocking, which is what the Panthers need. They allowed 52 sacks in 2021, which was the fifth-most in the NFL. That had a direct effect on quarterback play.
There’s no obligation to draft a left tackle. The Panthers do think Brady Christensen can start at left tackle and be solid.
But if you can add Cross, and put Christensen at left guard, it strengthens the offensive line and gives whoever will be at quarterback a better chance to succeed.
— Jonathan M. Alexander
First round, Pick No. 6 (alternate pick)
▪ Name: Kenny Pickett
▪ Position: Quarterback
▪ School: Pittsburgh
▪ Year: Senior
If this is how the draft plays out for Carolina, general manager Scott Fitterer will either select Cross (like my colleague Jonathan Alexander did) or trade back while still targeting a quarterback later. But we aren’t mocking trades in this draft. Regardless, the Panthers have been tied to Pickett all offseason. He is the most commonly mocked player to Carolina as well.
For weeks, I’ve been saying I don’t know how or when the Panthers will select Pickett but I do think it happens. This pick is another example of that. Trading back would help Carolina recoup Day 2 draft capital it doesn’t have.
But this draft scenario also makes trading back more difficult because Willis is off the board. And I do not expect a team trading up for Pickett. In this simulation, is there a prospect available worth trading for? Maybe Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux. But history shows teams usually trade into the top 10 for quarterbacks or wide receivers.
I think the Panthers are going to add a quarterback in this draft. For a third mock draft in a row, I have Carolina selecting Pickett as their future franchise guy.
-Ellis L. Williams
Fourth round, Pick No. 137
▪ Name: Terrel Bernard
▪ Position: OLB
▪ School: Baylor
▪ Year: Senior
This made way too much sense when the Panthers were on the clock again. He was the third-best player available at the time behind a punter and a running back. He addressed a position of need and he played under Carolina coach Matt Rhule when he was at Baylor.
Bernard won the Sugar Bowl MVP award after notching 20 tackles — a Sugar Bowl record — and two sacks in a 21-7 win against Matt Corral and Ole Miss in January.
He led Baylor with 106 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 13 games during the 2021 season. He was second on the team with 12.5 tackles for loss.
— JMA
Fourth round, Pick No. 137 (alternate)
▪ Name: Eric Johnson
▪ Position: Defensive tackle
▪ School: Missouri State
▪ Year: Senior
Missouri State defensive tackle Eric Johnson did not get a combine invite but his performance at the Senior Bowl in early February left a favorable impression on scouts. He then dominated his pro day, running a 4.86 40-yard dash. Only defensive tackles Devonte Wyatt of Georgia (4.77) and Jordan Davis (4.78) ran faster. At 6-5 and nearly 300 pounds, that’s freakish athleticism.
Carolina still would like to add some bulk upfront. It doesn’t matter if that is an inside rusher or an edge defender. Talent wins on the defensive line and Johnson possesses a lot of it.
Johnson played in every game over his career at Missouri State. His hand size of 10 inches and arm length of nearly 35 inches is ideal for pro defensive linemen. Johnson played at a university that has produced just seven NFL players in its program history. That makes getting noticed difficult.
He’s been generating more buzz as I talk to scouts and draft analysts. Last month, an NFL scout told The Observer they viewed Johnson as a Day 3 pick. Three weeks later he’s already getting mocked in the third round. If that happens, then Carolina will miss him. But if he’s available with the Panthers’ first pick on Day 3 then it’s a great value.
— ELW
Fifth round, Pick No. 144
▪ Name: Velus Jones Jr.
▪ Position: WR
▪ School: Tennessee
▪ Year: Senior
Jones visited Carolina for a pre-draft visit last week. He played in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was one of the top return specialists in the country in 2021. He returned one kick for a 96-yard touchdown and averaged 15.1 yards per punt return.
Fifth round, Pick No. 149
▪ Name: Eyioma Uwazurike
▪ Position: DT/DE
▪ School: Iowa State
▪ Year: Senior
The 6-6, 320-pound defensive lineman has the ideal size you look for. He won All Big-12 honors during his senior season at Iowa State. He had 42 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He’s a versatile player who could play inside and outside, which the Panthers’ coaching staff covets.
Sixth round, Pick No. 199
▪ Name: David Anenih
▪ Position: OLB/DE
▪ School: Houston
▪ Year: Senior
Anenih, who is 6-3, 249 pounds, gives the Panthers some depth at edge rusher. He had five sacks, a forced fumble and two pass deflections during the 2021 season.
Seventh round, Pick No. 242
▪ Name: Kyler McMichael
▪ Position: CB
▪ School: UNC
▪ Year: Junior
The 6-0, 210-pound cornerback adds depth and a potential special teams piece for the Panthers. McMichael first played at Clemson before transferring to UNC. He started in eight games in 2021 and had 18 tackles and one interception.
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Panthers 7-round mock draft update: Carolina solves its biggest issue."
