What could happen before the Carolina Panthers pick at No. 8?
By Dean Jones
What could happen during the early stages of the 2021 NFL Draft prior to the Carolina Panthers going on the clock at No. 8 overall?
With the 2021 Senior Bowl now in the books, the Carolina Panthers will have a better sense of what prospects are officially on their radar ahead of the NFL Draft. Matt Rhule described the experience of coaching in Mobile as invaluable to the evaluation process, which promises to be far different thanks to COVID-19 concerns. This extra edge could make all the difference in their pursuit of finding some real gems throughout the weekend.
The Panthers managed to hit some impressive home runs with their 2020 selections. Derrick Brown and Jeremy Chinn are two studs with big futures in the game, Yetur Gross-Matos showed promise, with the likes of Bravvion Roy and Stantley Thomas-Oliver also having some nice moments during the campaign.
Carolina’s financial predicament with the salary-cap coming down due to revenue losses across the league makes getting the draft absolutely spot on. The Panthers are sitting at No. 8 overall and will be keeping a close eye on developments before it’s time for them to go on the clock.
With that in mind, here is how the early part of the NFL Draft might go and which prospects might be available for the Panthers after that.
Pick No. 1
TREVORLAWRENCE. QB. CLEMSON. 1. player. 52. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Trevor Lawrence – QB (Clemson)
- Team – Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars were fortunate enough to get their hands on the No. 1 overall selection, meaning they are in pole position to land Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. This is the dream scenario and one that is sure to have played a leading role in Urban Meyer agreeing to become their next head coach after thriving at various college programs.
Lawrence’s impending arrival to the NFL is long overdue. The signal-caller has looked ready for this leap from the moment he got under center for the Tigers and comes into the league as the best prospect since Andrew Luck.
They won’t think twice about taking Lawrence. Considering their lorryload of picks and plenty of cap space to sign free agents, things could start trending on an upward curve quickly in Jacksonville.