Panthers draft: Breaking down the top-two OT prospects in 2021
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers might be in a position to take one of the top tackle prospects entering the 2021 NFL Draft this year, with two players high on the shortlist.
Much has been made of the potential impact that comes with the San Francisco 49ers making a major move up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. This has the potential to scupper the Carolina Panthers’ plans for a potential franchise quarterback entering the league this year, but it might see them get a shot at one of the top tackle prospects instead.
It would be incredibly surprising if three signal-callers didn’t go in the opening three picks. There is also a chance that the Atlanta Falcons trade down with another team looking for Trey Lance or Justin Fields, with the prospect of Carolina doing a deal with their NFC South divisional rival incredibly slim.
According to recent reports, Joe Burrow is pushing hard for the Cincinnati Bengals to select former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase at No. 5, which would leave the door right open for the Panthers to finally get themselves a player capable of becoming the best blindside protector on the team since the days of Jordan Gross.
Just who that is going to be is another matter entirely. Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater are the top-two on most boards and deservedly so, with the likes of Christian Darrisaw and Alijah Vera-Tucker also generating a significant amount of buzz during the evaluation process.
If the Panthers opt to build around Teddy Bridgewater rather than replace him, then offensive tackle needs to be the pick. There is an obvious temptation to select a shutdown cornerback at No. 8 such as Caleb Farley or Patrick Surtain, but if Carolina’s pass protection doesn’t improve, then one can expect more mediocrity where the former Louisville star is concerned.
With this in mind, we took a deeper dive into Sewell and Slater and examine which one would be the better fit on the Panthers.