Realistic targets for every Carolina Panthers draft pick in 2021
By Dean Jones
What are some realistic expectations for every draft pick made by the Carolina Panthers during their first season in the pros?
The Carolina Panthers managed to collect a nice haul from the 2021 NFL Draft thanks to an unprecedented amount of trade activity from new general manager Scott Fitterer. His time with the Seattle Seahawks served him well on his way to accumulating 11 selections, with the recent appointment also getting his hands on the Houston Texans‘ fourth-rounder next year as a result of his efforts.
Carolina is giving up their fourth-round selection as part of the Sam Darnold trade, so if the quarterback manages to make a better go of things in a different and more structured setting, it won’t be costing the Panthers anything more than a second-round selection.
This could be a major steal and something Fitterer deserves a tremendous amount of credit for. Much will obviously come down to just how well their latest batch of college recruits perform in a professional environment. But nine of the 11 picks were in leading analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s top-150, which cannot be seen any other way but a success.
With this in mind, what are some realistic expectations for every Panthers draft pick during their rookie seasons?
Round No. 7
Phil Hoskins – Carolina Panthers DT
- Round No. 7 (Pick No. 232)
- 2021 role – Development project
It was something of a surprise that the Carolina Panthers chose to take another defensive lineman with their final draft selection. They’d already selected Daviyon Nixon in Round 5 and there is a tremendous amount of depth at the position, so Phil Hoskins will have his work cut out trying to force his way onto the rotation in 2020.
The former Kentucky star comes with some nice athleticism and plenty of ability. But expecting him to make an immediate difference is probably unrealistic.
That being said, if Hoskins can learn to develop his tools either as part of the 53-man roster or on the practice squad, then it might see him play a part somewhere down the line.