Carolina Panthers trade up to draft safety Jeremy Chinn

The Carolina Panthers made a major move back into the second round to select versatile safety Jeremy Chinn with the 64th overall pick out of Southern Illinois.

The Carolina Panthers headed into day two of the 2020 NFL Draft needing to upgrade their secondary. They managed to do that by trading back into the second round to take safety Jeremy Chinn.

Chinn represents a significant presence on the back end who is another versatile young defender that has become a trend for the Panthers in the draft so far. The former Southern Illinois standout is more than capable of covering the slot thanks to his fantastic athleticism. He is also adept at coming down to the second level and assisting on running downs.

The Panthers moved up six spots in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in a move that sent them up six spots and cost them their 69th and 148th pick. There was a significant run on the safety and cornerback position throughout the second round. Meaning the decision-makers had to take any for fear of losing another top prospect.

Chinn boasts the skill set that coaches love to work with. He is a heavy hitter and racked more than 240 tackles during his college career. He possesses good instincts and plugs gaps extremely well. What he will need to work on is if he is asked to cover on the outside. But the Panthers are not expected to do this, at least in the short-term.

This represents another prospect that can be utilized in various different ways on the field. The same can be said for No. 7 pick Derrick Brown and the 38th overall selection Yetur Gross-Matos.

The Panthers have just three draft picks remaining following the trade, so it remains to be seen whether or not they are going to trade down in the fourth round. There is also the possibility of moving wide receiver Curtis Samuel following reported interest for additional draft capital.