Andre Dillard could fill Carolina Panthers major offensive line need
The Carolina Panthers would be smart to take Dillard in the first round.
We have seen all sorts of suggestions about what the Carolina Panthers should do with the No. 16 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Many have suggested that the Carolina Panthers take offensive line help, which wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Monday, Tim Weaver of PanthersWire.com put together a new mock draft that saw the Panthers take an offensive lineman at the 16 slot.
Andre Dillard was the suggestion for the Panthers first-round pick. Honestly, that would be the best use of their draft choice. Dillard is a player that can be a cornerstone for a team for years to come. At the offensive line position, that is exactly what the Carolina Panthers need if they want to keep Cam Newton protected.
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He would be a perfect fit for the Panthers. He is known as a player that can have a mean streak when needed and he also can play multiple positions. He really shined at the Senior Bowl, and on display there was his aggressiveness and willingness to attack defensive lineman. What would he be able to bring to the Panthers? He would give them a guy that could headline the offensive line. With Ryan Kalil retiring, they could use that cornerstone piece on their team.
Some of you may be saying “Isn’t the 16th overall pick too high to draft him?” The answer to that question would be “no.” This is an area that the Panthers desperately need as they struggled to find pieces last year that could fit together on the line. If there was one positive to the line last year, it was that they managed to be able to play together and hold up for most of the season. However, they struggled at some points as well. Look no further than the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If there is one knock on Dlliard, it is his run blocking. However, given the fact that the Panthers used Christian McCaffrey a lot in the passing game in 2018, that may not be a huge issue. We have seen him be just as effective as a pass-catcher. However, as Gavino Borquez notes in the same report, his pass blocking ability is his strong suit. For a franchise dealing with the quarterback coming off injury, that is certainly music to their ears.
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It will be interesting to see what the Panthers do with the pick. Dilliard would definitely fill a need, he is one of the best offensive lineman prospects in this draft and Carolina would be wise to pick him if he is available.