5 best player options if the Carolina Panthers stay at No. 8

(Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports) Kyle Pitts
(Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports) Kyle Pitts /
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(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) Justin Fields /

Justin Fields – QB (Ohio State)

If there was one quarterback out of the four prospects set to go in the top-10 who might drop to the Carolina Panthers, it would be Justin Fields. That might be a strange thing to say when one considers his exceptional level of production at Ohio State, but the buzz being generated by Zach Wilson and Trey Lance might well indicate he’ll be the fourth signal-caller taken.

This was absolutely unheard of this time last year. It’s easy to forget that Fields was in the conversation to be the No. 1 overall selection with Clemson phenom Trevor Lawrence before competitive action began in 2020.

He is a dual-threat weapon that can make plays out of nothing and although Fields struggled on the biggest stage in the National Championship game against Alabama, he did get to the showcase at the expense of Lawrence and the Tigers.

Should someone with the talent of Fields does somehow fall out of the top-five, then there will be a number of teams examining an aggressive move up to acquire him. Two that immediately spring to mind are the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots, but the Panthers might also look to jump a couple of spots at minimal cost compared to what it’s going to take to surge into the top three.

Fields would also be arriving at the next level with a massive chip on his shoulder in this scenario, which is great news for whoever drafts him.