5 possible Panthers targets who could go undrafted in 2021
By Dean Jones
Which college prospects could the Carolina Panthers potentially pick up on the undrafted free-agent market following the 2021 NFL Draft?
It’s not just during the 2021 NFL Draft that the Carolina Panthers can bolster their roster. They got a tremendous amount out of the undrafted free-agent market once the final pick came in last year, with the likes of Myles Hartsfield and Sam Franklin earning their spot on the roster and even making a contribution on the starting rotation at certain stages of the campaign.
There is also the intriguing upside of Omar Bayless to consider. The wide receiver generated a significant amount of buzz for his contribution during training camp before suffering a knee injury that forced him to miss the entire 2020 season. But it looks like the former Arkansas State star is fit and firing on all cylinders as he hopes for better fortune next time around.
The point is, if the Panthers act quickly and find prospects who fit their mold, then the rewards could be significant. College players’ misery at not hearing their name called acts as a strong source of motivation, which can be all they need to enhance talent to a sufficient level.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at four prospects that the Panthers might be able to bring on board from the undrafted pool.
Carolina Panthers potential undrafted free-agent targets
Prospect No. 1
Paul Grattan – OL (UCLA)
Finding good offensive linemen who don’t get drafted is normally a tricky business. However, this is expected to be one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory for players at the position and may result in some diamonds in the rough slipping through the net.
Paul Grattan is a player who might fall into this category. The versatile lineman can operate either as a center or guard, which is something that always goes down well with Carolina’s coaching staff.
His power does surprise those he comes up against, although Grattan couldn’t be accused of possessing a mean streak of any kind. He does have some problems in pass protection, but he’d be worth bringing into camp and seeing what the prospect could do first hand.