Carolina Panthers: Is Andrew Thomas worth the No. 7 pick?

What would Thomas bring to the Panthers?

Andrew Thomas is a plug-and-play starter in the NFL at either tackle spot. He is not the niftiest in terms of getting to the second level. But that does not take away from what a fantastic prospect he is.

His potential arrival with the Carolina Panthers would do an untold amount of good for the offense. Thomas is a brute force in the run game and would provide Christian McCaffrey with a quality presence to run behind going forward.

The player comes with an incredibly high ceiling and if he finds out how to make the most out his length and physical attributes then there is no telling what he can achieve in the future. Thomas plays with a real aggressiveness and seems tailormade for the Panthers’ offensive scheme under Joe Brady and Matt Rhule.

Thomas struggles a little bit in motion. But Teddy Bridgewater is not the most mobile of quarterbacks and this also works in the incoming recruit’s favor. He is a difficult player to shift from the block and has heavy hands at the point of attack. This makes him extremely difficult to get around.

The Panthers do have other glaring needs. They also recently traded for Pro Bowl left tackle Russell Okung in a deal that saw guard Trai Turner moved to the Los Angeles Chargers. The organization also has high hopes for Greg Little in the long-term.

Thomas represents an instant upgrade on the current right guard option Taylor Moton and could learn his craft in this spot before eventually taking over from Okung on the left-hand side.

The Panthers are in desperate need of defensive help. But they also need to find a tackle that can provide them with formidable resistance over the next decade.

There is little doubt that Thomas fits that bill. Whether he will end up at No. 7 remains to be seen.