5 prospects in play if the Carolina Panthers trade down in Round 2

Jabril Cox – LB (LSU)

One area that is perhaps being overlooked after some impressive free-agent signings is the linebacker corps. The Carolina Panthers made a shrewd move to bring in Denzel Perryman from the Los Angeles Chargers and also managed to pick up Haason Reddick to rush off the edge, so couple this with the return of Christian Miller and Jordan Mack from COVID-19 opt-outs, it could see a huge turnaround in fortunes.

However, if the Panthers want to give their options another huge shot in the arm via the 2021 NFL Draft, then Jabril Cox could be someone worth taking a chance on. The LSU star made a smooth transition to the Tigers after transferring from North Dakota State in 2020, with his ability in coverage something Carolina sorely lacked last season following the retirement of perennial All-Pro Luke Kuechly.

Cox can be placed against slot receivers, tight ends, and running backs with equal confidence, which will make him an enticing proposition for any NFL team looking for assistance in this particular area of the field. Whether the Panthers want to further strengthen things at the second level so early in the draft is up for debate. But there are far worse avenues to go down considering his upside.

Picking Cox seems unlikely at No. 39, but that might all change if the Panthers get an offer they can’t refuse from a team looking to move up in their possible pursuit of a quarterback such as Kyle Trask or Kellen Mond.