Panthers draft: Can 2020 class make the biggest impact?

The Carolina Panthers draft was full of exciting players on defense, and ESPN thinks they could have the biggest impact of any 2020 class.

Whether people agreed with the Carolina Panthers draft selections being all-defense or not. One cannot deny that this was vital if the team wants to be competitive in the not-too-distant future.

This first year of their expected rebuild is going to need the Panthers draft class to contribute immediately. And they are going to be thrown to the wolves in a bid to make them learn what it takes to be a productive player in the NFL.

While it is going to come with its fair share of frustrations, Carolina’s decision-makers put a significant amount of faith in the players they selected with their seven picks once they traded back into the second round to secure the services of Jeremy Chinn.

Mike Clay of ESPN believes that given how much responsibility each member of the Panthers draft class is going to have on their shoulders next season, he can see the group making some serious strides in 2020.

"“It’s hard to go against the Dolphins here, but the Panthers’ defense was in such rough shape entering draft weekend that they became the first team in the modern era to spend every one of their selections on defensive players. It’s conceivable that all seven rookies could play a significant 2020 role and that can be considered a near lock for defensive tackle Derrick Brown, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and safety Jeremy Chinn, all early-round selections.”"

The Panthers draft was the second stage of head coach Matt Rhule rebuilding the franchise following a flurry of free-agent activity that saw veteran players moved on. He will need this class to show their mettle from the outset. Or at the very least demonstrate the sort of production that is going to leave the team’s fanbase encouraged and not concerned after what promises to be a difficult 2020 campaign.

Top-end picks such as Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos will likely be given plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their qualities from starting positions. It will also be interesting to see where the likes of Chinn, Troy Pride Jr., and Kenny Robinson fit in a Panthers’ secondary that seems devoid of depth.

Less will be expected of defensive tackle Bravvion Roy, who is expected to be a rotational player during his rookie season behind Brow and the returning Kawann Short. Stantley Thomas-Oliver is another project player that will not see the field much in 2020.

Growing pains will undoubtedly be there with each player taken. But the Panthers draft team is to be commended for their ability to pick up prospects that can assist the team instantly and in a variety of different ways.

Only time will tell as to whether they are going to be vindicated or criticized for their decisions. And this will come down to the incoming recruits and their ability to perform on the big stage.