Carolina Panthers: 7 Round 2020 NFL Mock Draft led by Derrick Brown

To win football games is to win the battle of the trenches. Every prolific offense tends to have one thing in common in that their offensive line is great from top to bottom. The Panthers need some depth on their offensive line as with the No. 152 pick, they select offensive guard Calvin Throckmorton out of Oregon.

If it’s anything to know about Throckmorton is that he’s as reliable as they come as a starter. He started a plethora of games with the Ducks and has shown the potential to bring that work ethic to the pros.  Best of all, Throckmorton is so talented, he can pretty much play every position on the Panthers’ offensive line.

Throckmorton’s versatility is through the roof as he has starting experience as a guard, tackle, and even at center. He will thrive as a guard for the Panthers but when injuries arise, it would be great to have him as quality depth capable of filling in holes as they happen throughout the course of a season.

With this pick, the Panthers’ offensive line is pretty much set and on paper is better than last season. Now it’s all about grabbing a late-round tight end to help push the envelope on offense.

With Greg Olsen headed to the Seattle Seahawks thanks to free agency, it leaves some big shoes to fill. While the Panthers are confident with the current tight ends they have to fill the void, it would be wise to add just one more name to the mix to see what happens in training camp.

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With the No. 184 pick, the Panthers select tight end Josiah Deguara out of Cincinnati. He’s a very good tight end that mostly specializes in making big plays where it matters most in the end zone. Deguara will either score or get the offense within scoring position almost every time the ball is in his hands.

At Cincinnati, Deguara totaled 1,117 receiving yards, 92 receptions, and 12 touchdowns. Known to make solid plays out of nothing, it would be great to see what he can do when used in certain red zone situations. After all, the Panthers’ offense can’t just always be about Christian McCaffrey in the grand scheme of things.

The Panthers have nothing to lose when it comes to having just one more tight end on the roster to see who can surprise during training camp and preseason action. Who knows, perhaps Deguara can come right in and start proving his worth right off the bat. He’s worth the shot based on what he accomplished at Cincinnati.

Even though the Panthers are pretty stacked at wide receiver, it wouldn’t hurt to add one more that has the size, speed, and ability to be used as depth on offense. With their final pick in this year’s draft at No. 221, the Panthers take a shot with wide receiver Dezmon Patmon of Washington State.

At 6-4 and 228lbs, Patmon is a work in progress kind of receiver that with the proper regimen, could be decent depth on the roster in case other wide receivers don’t work out over time or get injured. Patmon has the potential to make plays thanks to his tall frame but needs to work on his versatility to be a complete all-around wide receiver.

Patmon has the hustle to make plays when going up against decent cornerbacks as he is known to make plays after the catch. It’s just a matter of him putting it all together to earn consistent playing time in the pros. By the looks of it, he’ll need to work on his route running, separation techniques, and even different methods of attack.

Overall, this mock draft hits many areas of need for the Panthers with instant starters while also adding depth at key areas of the roster. It remains to be seen if the Panthers can bounce back from their 5-11 season last year but they should be a bit more competitive this time around. A rebuild usually takes two to three years before things start to hopefully fall into place but a draft like this should undoubtedly help the cause.