In this Carolina Panthers 2020 NFL mock draft, they add a premier defensive lineman to the mix and heavily address many of their defensive woes.
Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers have made it clear what their top priorities are. General manager Marty Hurney confirmed as the Panthers finalize their draft board, it’s all about addressing their defense. It’s no secret that the Panthers have some major areas of need all over the defensive side of the ball.
Needless to say, the top priority for the Panthers to address in the first round is on their defensive line as they’re expected to take the best available player with the No. 7 overall pick. They would also be wise to add a cornerback or two as well as a linebacker. As the draft progresses and they add young talent at these key defensive positional groups, they should also be able to hit just a few areas on offense.
The Panthers have mostly focused on offense so far this offseason which is half the battle. They have a new quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, some new wide receivers in Robby Anderson, Keith Kirkwood, and Pharoh Cooper, plus have added new talent to their offensive line. If anything, they need to add a new tight end and another offensive guard for depth.
Carolina Panthers NFL Draft Order
At this point in time, the Panthers have eight draft picks in total as here is their NFL Draft order:
Round 1: No. 7
Round 2: No. 38
Round 3: No. 69
Round 4: No. 113
Round 5: No. 148 (from Washington Redskins), No. 152
Round 6: No. 184
Round 7: No. 221
Let’s begin this full 7 Round NFL Mock Draft that sees the Panthers address their defense heavily within the first five rounds. This will be essential in building the defensive foundation needed to rebuild the right way to hopefully be contenders again within the next few years.
The Panthers finally get the man they’ve had at the top of their draft board for months now. With the No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft, the Panthers select defensive tackle Derrick Brown out of Auburn. The 6-4, 326lbs defensive juggernaut will answer a lot of issues the Panthers’ defensive line has had for years now.
Brown brings speed, aggression, and tenacity to a defensive line that was in dire need of someone with such a sense of urgency. Not only will he be able to instantly be a starter this upcoming season, but he will be a true force to reckon with. Best of all, he specializes in stopping the run which was such a major area of need last season for the Panthers.
In four years at Auburn, Brown totaled 12.5 sacks, 170 tackles, and five forced fumbles. Brown is all about disrupting plays and making his presence felt every single time he steps foot on the field. If the Panthers can build around him, he has the leadership qualities to rally his troops when needed.
This is a great start for the Panthers to usher in a new era in the franchise with making this decision to draft a defensive cornerstone for years to come. Brown has the potential to be a future team captain, Pro Bowler, and the next household name for the Panthers.
The Panthers added cornerback Juston Burris via free agency but they need to add more depth to the positional group. With the No. 38 pick in this year’s draft, the Panthers take the best available cornerback when they’re on the clock in Trevon Diggs out of Alabama.
This is a great draft pick here as it’s imperative the Panthers bolster their cornerback situation since the NFL is dominantly a passing league. The Panthers didn’t do all too well last season in this category as an infusion of young talent here capable of starting is key.
That is where Diggs comes in as he’s been a great cornerback for Alabama over the course of his four-year collegiate career. He totaled 68 tackles, four interceptions, and 17 passes defended. Diggs would thrive in a rotation at cornerback for the Panthers as he develops to be a high-quality starter.
Due to spending some time as a wide receiver and even as a kickoff/punt returner early on at Alabama, it’s given him a nice advantage to have as a cornerback. His overall awareness and football sense will be great to see develop over his first few years in the pros.
The Panthers can’t resist the opportunity to double-down at cornerback as they boldly decide to draft another in Round 3. With the No. 69 pick in this year’s draft, the Panthers select cornerback Kristian Fulton out of LSU.
If it’s anything LSU is about, it’s producing high caliber defensive backs. Fulton is another solid cornerback that can take care of business on a consistent basis. He still needs some development to truly hone his craft but with the Panthers, he’ll get that opportunity to work with veteran cornerbacks.
In three years at LSU, Fulton totaled 56 tackles, two interceptions, and 20 passes defended. Fulton thrives in the outside cornerback role which makes this a perfect fit for the Panthers as it finally needed to be addressed.
Fulton is a natural-born ballhawk as he excels in coverage and can keep up with speedy receivers. The Panthers now have two young cornerbacks ready to become the next dynamic duo after a few years of pro experience.
The Panthers, still committed to adding more talent to their defense, know they need to add a pass-rushing specialist to round things out. With the No. 113 pick, the Panthers select defensive tackle Larrell Murchison out of North Carolina State.
If it’s anything new head coach Matt Rhule wants in his locker room, it’s players who are coachable and ready to do whatever it takes to win. Such is the case here with Murchison as he’s known to be a very good pass rusher with a knack at pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
With Brown able to hold it down against the run, Murchison will be able to wreak havoc and make his presence known. This is the kind of young infusion the Panthers need to get players that are ready to overperform and be team players in the locker room.
The Panthers’ defense is already shaping up nicely as we’re about to hit the midway point. With two picks in Round 5, it looks like they want to add a player that specializes as an edge rusher as well as an offensive guard.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a hidden gem here for the Panthers. With the No. 148 pick in this year’s draft, the Panthers select linebacker Bradlee Anae out of Utah. The 6-3, 265lb human tackling machine will end up being one heck of a pick for the Panthers.
Not only is Anae a true workhorse on the gridiron but he is an extremely versatile edge rusher that can play defensive end and linebacker effectively. In four years at Utah, Anae totaled 131 tackles, 29.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He made a name for himself by thriving in multiple defensive positions to keep opposing offenses on their toes.
The productivity the Panthers will get out of Anae will be surreal as he brings such a momentum that it’ll be contagious for the teammates around him. His situational awareness is through the roof as he has a motor that looks like it never stops.
With the right coaching and training, Anae will be an energetic defensive player that will bring excitement as he prepares to do what he does best. New defensive coordinator Phil Snow will have a field day enjoying everything Anae brings to the table when his number is called.
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.