Major trade with familiar faces in full 7-round Panthers 2021 mock draft
By Dean Jones
Round No. 3 (Pick No. 73)
Jaylen Twyman – DT (Pittsburgh)
It’s no secret how high we are on Jaylen Twyman, who has featured in almost every mock draft in the lead-up to the 2021 NFL Draft. However, it doesn’t appear as if he is going to be around by the time the Carolina Panthers are on the clock in Round 4, so allocating their third-rounder on the defensive tackle is the only way to guarantee he comes on board.
Twyman has a significant amount going for him at the next level. Not playing the 2020 season seems to have hit his stock more than most, which might mean a team like the Panthers get a real steal if the Pittsburgh standout reaches the level expected in a professional environment.
The prospect has set his sights on following in the footsteps of former Pitt star Aaron Donald, who is now the NFL’s best defensive player. This is a lofty ceiling to aim for, but the similarities between the two are undeniable.
Most notably, Twyman excels in getting after the quarterback from the interior. There might be a little work to be done in regards to run support – which is what the Panthers need – but providing they bring in a veteran on the cheap in free agency to take some of the pressure off, then they could do far worse than look in his direction.
This might be seen as a reach initially. But that isn’t expected to be the case for long.