4 biggest steals for the Panthers during the 2021 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
What were the biggest steals made by the Carolina Panthers during the 2021 NFL Draft and undrafted free agency?
Finding value from the college pool can sometimes be a tricky business. None more so than this year, with COVID-19 health concerns giving the evaluation process a completely different feel in recent months and ensuring teams like the Carolina Panthers had to use alternative methods of accumulating enough information to come to the right conclusions.
This saw the Panthers generate 11 selections that all appear to be talented, athletic recruits that could make solid additions to a roster that does seem to finally be heading in the right direction. Obviously, we’ll have to see just how they perform on the field before declaring this class as a great one, but things couldn’t have gone much better for Carolina in the grand scheme of things.
It was a weekend where general manager Scott Fitterer showed the world that he was worthy of getting the job after Marty Hurney was fired for a second time. It’s something Carolina isn’t used to in years gone by, which is further proof that the time are indeed changing in their pursuit of becoming a contender at the earliest possible chance.
While we are on this topic, what were the biggest steals for the Panthers during the draft and the undrafted free-agent market?
Steal No. 1
David Moore – Carolina Panthers OG
- Undrafted free-agent
The Carolina Panthers acted swiftly once the draft came to a conclusion to agree on terms with David Moore in undrafted free agency. He worked with the team’s coaching staff at the 2021 Senior Bowl and they contemplated taking him with a late-round selection before eventually snapping him up without using draft capital.
Moore might be a little on the short side for an interior offensive lineman. However, he is strong as an ox, aggressive at the point of attack, and has the necessary length to keeping opposing defensive tackles at bay on passing downs.
Expecting too much from the former Grambling State stud would be unrealistic. Moore is a work in progress with some high upside and few would argue this isn’t still an area of real need long-term for the Panthers.