7 prospects for Panthers with a top-5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Ja’Marr Chase – WR (LSU)
This might not jump out as a position of need for the Carolina Panthers. But if Ja’Marr Chase lives up to his billing then he could be a generational talent at wide receiver.
Ask anybody who’s played against Chase in college. They will all tell you the same thing regarding his level of production.
That is is simply the best wideout they can up against and it wasn’t even close.
Considering that the 2020 draft class was the deepest in recent memory for wide receivers, this is quite the compliment. Chase is an outstanding receiver who has the ability to impact a game anywhere on the field and also has the refined route-running prowess of a seasoned veteran.
The Panthers might end up losing Curtis Samuel in free agency, which would be a significant blow. The likes of Pharoh Cooper, Keith Kirkwood, and Brandon Zylstra are also out of contract and unlikely to be brought back, which would leave Carolina with D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and undrafted free-agent Omar Bayless as their primary weapons.
Adding Chase gives them another dynamic weapon in the passing game that is going to be incredibly tough to stop once he gets himself fully acclimatized to the pro ranks.