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Carolina Panthers upcoming visit an encouraging sign for draft plans

By Danny Jaillet

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 27: Offensive lineman Cody Ford #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners gestures to the crowd before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 51-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 27: Offensive lineman Cody Ford #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners gestures to the crowd before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 51-14. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Cody Ford will visit the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday.

Usually, Tuesday’s are not very exciting. That is of course unless you’re the Carolina Panthers. As the NFL draft nears closer, the organization continues to hold visits with some of the top prospects in the country. Tuesday, Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford is scheduled to visit with the Panthers per a tweet from Jordan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer.

Ford is perhaps one of the most fundamentally sound offensive lineman in this draft. He could be exactly what the Panthers are looking for as they continue to try and rebuild their line. Per rankings from WalterFootball.com, Ford is the second overall offensive tackle in this draft. He is projected to go in the first round. According to the Pro Football Focus Big Board, Ford is ranked the 22nd overall player in this draft.

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This would be a great pick on the part of the Carolina Panthers. For one, he is very complete in the way he plays the game. He can past block just as well as he can run block. With a quarterback like Cam Newton and a running back like Christian McCaffrey, that is certainly a good combination to have for an offensive lineman. The Panthers need someone who can move inside and outside the pocket with Newton, and also make sure to clear running lanes for McCaffrey.

The Carolina Panthers offensive line situation is certainly better than it was a year ago, as the organization has made improvements to it. However, it would be nice to have youth at the position. Ford is someone who is dependable and tough. The only major injury he had during his collegiate career was a broken leg in  2016. After that, he was an absolute monster during the rest of his time with the Sooners

As noted by Pro football Focus, he excels at pass blocking. In 2018, he recorded a grade of 85.2. He also wasn’t too shabby in terms of run blocking. He recorded a 72.2 rating in that respect. Over the course of his for-year career at Oklahoma, he blocked both the pass and run a fairly even amount. In 1,341 snaps, he blocked in a passing situation 681 times while blocking for the run 617 times. He only allowed two sacks in his entire four-year collegiate career and also allowed no hits on the quarterback.

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He would definitely be a great addition to the Panthers. He should be there for them to select at 16. Even though they may have more pressing needs, Ford’s talent is too good to pass up. He is the type of player that could headline an offensive line for years to come. He would certainly be a welcome addition to the Carolina Panthers.

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