4 players the Panthers wish they would have drafted in 2020
By Dean Jones
Darnell Mooney – WR
- Round 5 – Chicago Bears
- Carolina Panthers pick – Kenny Robinson
Wide receiver was not exactly a top need for the Carolina Panthers during the 2020 NFL Draft. D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Curtis Samuel were projected to be a dynamic trio and were as advertised, with each player achieving more than 1,000 scrimmage yards between them this season.
However, looking a little more long-term later on in the draft might have been wise.
Samuel is out of contract in the coming weeks and is expected to generate a significant amount of interest on the free-agent market. With Pharoh Cooper and Brandon Zylstra also up for renewal, it leaves Carolina with Anderson, Moore, and Omar Bayless as their primary weapons in the passing game.
Not taking a longer look at Darnell Mooney is something the Panthers and every other team in the league should regret at this point. The former Tulane standout managed to make a lasting impression with the Chicago Bears despite their obvious problems at quarterback during the season, bringing in 64 receptions from 91 targets to record 631 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
The same sort of impact wasn’t exactly made by Carolina’s fifth-round pick Kenny Robinson, who was waived during the season before being brought back to the practice squad. But whether he has a long-term future with the organization is highly debatable.