5 players Panthers should monitor in National Championship game
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers should have a close eye on the National Championship game.
All eyes will be on Alabama and Ohio State when they square off in the National Championship game on Monday night. It didn’t appear at one stage as if the college football campaign would come to a successful conclusion. But despite some serious complications to the schedule, two of the most storied programs will square off in a bid to secure bragging rights.
This will be a game that the Carolina Panthers will be watching closely. A hoard of potential 2021 NFL Draft prospects will be stepping onto the gridiron in a bid to leave one final impression before the all-important evaluation process gets underway.
Considering that the league is looking at possibly changing the NFL Scouting Combine format this season due to COVID-19 health concerns, this might be the best piece of film to go off considering the magnitude of the encounter.
The Panthers struck gold with the majority of their 2020 selections and the same again this spring would be a significant boost to their hopes of becoming a playoff contender sooner rather than later. There should also be a new general manager in place by this point, which could see the recruitment mindset completely altered from the days of Marty Hurney.
Here are five prospects that the Panthers should be watching on almost every down.
Player No. 1
Wyatt Davis – OG (Ohio State)
The Carolina Panthers need some substantial reinforcements on their offensive line interior. It’s clear that John Miller and Chris Reed are not up to the required standard at guard, with the future of center Matt Paradis also in doubt due to the financial savings involved.
Getting younger on the line of scrimmage wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. Wyatt Davis would be an instant upgrade on anything Carolina currently has at their disposal and a strong performance in what is sure to be his final college game would enhance the lineman’s draft stock even further.
Davis is arguably the best guard prospect entering the professional ranks this year. While it would be a reach for the Panthers to take him at No. 8 overall, it would certainly give them plenty to think about if he dominates against an exceptional Alabama defensive front.