Carolina Panthers: Mock draft 2.0

Nov 14, 2015; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (11) gets around Florida Gators wide receiver Chris Thompson (85) on a punt return in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (11) gets around Florida Gators wide receiver Chris Thompson (85) on a punt return in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports /
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Carolina Panthers
Sep 26, 2015; Greenville, NC, USA; East Carolina Pirates tight end Bryce Williams (80) reaches out before the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The East Carolina Pirates defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 35-28. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 5: pick 168: Bryce Williams – East Carolina TE

Why the Carolina Panthers need him:

Greg Olsen might be the best tight end in the league not named Rob Gronkowski, but he’s also not a spring chicken anymore. Olsen just turned 31 years old and it’s rare for NFL players to produce at a high level for much longer after they reach that age.

Adding a big-bodied tight end who can help in the receiving game might help ease the transition for Olsen’s eventual retirement, and East Carolina’s Bryce Williams has size and length to spare.

Last season Williams caught 58 passes and turned them into 583 yards and four touchdowns without much of a quarterback to work with. Pairing him with a talent like Cam Newton could make those numbers jump considerably.

Highlights:

The good:

“Value is as a pass-catcher with his long-striding speed and smooth route-running to attack soft spots in coverage. He moves like a wide receiver and catches the ball well in stride, displaying a good-sized catching radius and aggressive ballskills to pluck in contested situations.” – CBS Sports

The bad:

“Leaner than ideal and lacks desired bulk for the tight end position. Lacks ideal power as a ballcarrier.” -CBS Sports

Measurables:

Next: The last pick of 2016