Panthers Draft: Final grade for Carolina’s class of 2020
By Dean Jones
Panthers Draft: The mid-to-late round picks
The Carolina Panthers draft process continued to focus heavily on defense during the mid-to-late rounds. This included the arrival of speedy cornerback Troy Pride Jr. out of Notre Dame at No. 113 overall.
Pride Jr. has some high upside thanks to his athletic traits. He is incredibly fast and fluid with his movements down the field. If the player can work out some elements of his game that need early development during training camp, he can become a day one starter for the franchise.
Carolina’s fifth-rounder was spent on safety Kenny Robinson, who became the first player from the XFL drafted to the pros. The player has had a colorful history after being dismissed from West Virginia. But the references surrounding him were glowing and there is substantial potential to work with regarding the recruit.
Head coach Matt Rhule went back to Baylor with his sixth-round pick by taking defensive tackle Bravvion Roy. This was a high-value pick at the position and Rhule will know exactly how the player can help the Panthers in 2020 and beyond.
Roy is a big frame who excels in run support. He is a bundle of energy for a man his size and has the scope to progress his ability to get to the quarterback in the years to come.
Rounding off the Panthers draft was seventh-round pick Stantley Thomas-Oliver III. The cornerback is seen as a development project early on. But he could be a useful tool to have on special teams during the early time in the NFL thanks to his speed and impressive tackling ability.