Panthers 2021 NFL Draft: Ranking the top-10 QB prospects
By Dean Jones
No. 9: Davis Mills – Stanford
Davis Mills is something of an unknown commodity despite having played two years at Stanford, where the Carolina Panthers took star running back Christian McCaffrey from with the No. 8 overall selection in 2017. The quarterback is your prototypical size for a prospect at the position, even though his athleticism won’t enable him to be anything more than a pocket passer at the professional level.
Mills is accurate over short-to-intermediate routes more often than not. But he does struggle a bit with the deep ball and this is something that is playing a leading role in Carolina aiming to move on from Teddy Bridgewater after just one season under center.
One positive that Mills has going for him is that he is rarely flustered in the big moments. Anyone expecting miracles early on will be disappointed, but there’s nothing to suggest the prospect cannot be a serviceable backup, at the very least.
No. 8: Jamie Newman – Georgia
There was plenty of hype surrounding Jamie Newman when he made the transfer from Wake Forest to Georgia ahead of the 2020 season. Sadly for the Bulldogs, they never got to see the quarterback in action after he opted-out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 health concerns.
Newman looked a little rusty in front of the Carolina Panthers coaching staff at the 2021 Senior Bowl, which was to be expected with so much inactivity of late. Any team intent on taking the signal-caller needs to give him time to develop at his own pace, with the possibility of using him on special packages not out of the realm of possibility.
No. 7: Kyle Trask – Florida
Kyle Trask put up some outstanding numbers at Florida that warrant NFL scouts’ attention in the coming weeks. But whether his skills can successfully transition to the next level is another matter entirely.
Trask cannot be defined as a superb athlete, and his throws downfield needs some work. Another concerning element to his overall play is from a footwork standpoint, which makes it difficult for the player to maneuver in a tight pocket when protection collapses quickly.
That being said, Trask is a winner who is accurate in pursuit of moving the chains. He can also pick up short yardage on the run when required and the signal-caller might just have a chance providing the scheme is right.