Panthers draft: Can Jordan Mack make the roster in 2020?

The Carolina Panthers draft team did not take a linebacker with any of their picks, but they might have found one for the future in Jordan Mack.

It might have been something of a surprise that the Carolina Panthers draft team did not take a linebacker with any of their selections. This is despite the franchise allocating each one of their seven picks on the defensive side of the ball.

This was an area of significant need for the Panthers heading into the draft. They were dealt a significant blow with the retirement of Luke Kuechly following a glittering eight-year in Carolina due to health concerns.

While that was probably the right thing to do. It did not make their task of surprising people in 2020 any good. The Panthers draft needed significant reinforcements on defense and not selecting a linebacker indicated a tremendous amount of faith in free-agent signing Tahir Whitehead.

That being said, the organization did manage to pick up some eye-catching undrafted free agents once the final pick had been submitted. One of these is Jordan Mack, a feisty linebacker with four seasons of college experience at Virginia.

Mack has something new head coach Matt Rhule targeted often throughout the Panthers draft process. That is versatility having started out his career as a safety. Getting players to Carolina that have the ability to be used in multiple positions already gives the prospect a head start in his hopes of making the 53-man roster after training camp.

There is a lot to like about a player that was not taken in the draft despite having a late-round grading. Mack will be arriving in Carolina with a chip on his shoulder and this is something the hopeful can use to his advantage.