Panthers Draft: 5 potential replacements for Russell Okung in 2021

Carolina Panthers Player No. 2: Walker Little (OT) – Stanford

Walker Little is a player that could be a difference-maker for the Carolina Panthers at the tackle position. He has a nice skill set to call upon. But how the player fares in 2020 will go a long way to determining whether he will be a first-round candidate or slip into day two.

Little has tremendous lateral movement when protecting the passer. He also has plenty of experience on the edge during his time at Stanford. And his ability to cope well with powerful pass-rushers has caught the eye on occasion.

His hand placement is of a high standard. And Little is strong enough to hold his blocks for a consistent period of time. The lineman is also quick enough to get to his position efficiently. This also enables him to recover quickly in times of trouble.

There is the matter of how Little recovers from a serious leg injury to consider. With the real prospect of no meaningful college football in the current climate. If this decision was eventually made, it would do more harm than good to his draft stock.

Little is also very rigid at the point of attack, which leaves him susceptible to smaller lineman to get underneath. Coping with speedy rushers at the next level is also an area that he will need to show improvement. But his instincts and work ethic should be enough to see his name called high next spring despite the injury concerns.