10 best fits for the Carolina Panthers on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Which college prospects could be good fits for the Carolina Panthers on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft?
After an eventful Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Carolina Panthers, there is plenty of hope that the roster can be further boosted with a strong series of selections in the final four rounds. This is an area of the process where general manager Scott Fitterer gained a strong reputation during his time with the Seattle Seahawks and judging by Friday’s management masterclass from the recent appointment, only good things will be in the team’s future under his leadership.
A series of trades saw the Panthers do four deals with various teams, picking up an extra third-rounder and still having a fourth, fifth, two sixes, and a fourth-round selection in 2022 to show for their efforts.
Such competency has been sorely missing from the Panthers in recent years and head coach Matt Rhule’s claim that there are still some second or third-round graded prospects available on their board, getting some instant impact players in the later rounds is more than possible.
With this in mind, here are 10 prospects who fit the mold of what Carolina is trying to build that are still up for grabs on Day 3.
Carolina Panthers Day 3 draft targets
Prospect No. 1
Trey Smith – OG (Tennessee)
The Carolina Panthers could still use a force on their interior protection to give Sam Darnold another real shot in the arm next season. As luck would have it, Trey Smith is still sitting on the board and this could be classed as a surprise considering many expected him to be taken in the second round.
Smith has plug and play starter written all over him. He is forceful at the point of attack and his stout frame makes it incredibly difficult for opposing defensive linemen to move off the block. So if this is an area Carolina wants to address in the fourth round, then they could do far worse than look in his direction.
The former Tennessee star won’t be there in Round 5, so striking early and worrying about the rest later might be the shrewd way to go.