Why did Daviyon Nixon fall and should the Panthers be worried?
By Dean Jones
Why did defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon fall dramatically during the 2021 NFL Draft and should the Carolina Panthers be worried?
The Carolina Panthers may have a steal on their hands in Daviyon Nixon. Iowa’s imposing defensive tackle came into the draft with a consensus second-round grade – at least from a talent standpoint – but a significant fall from grace saw him surprisingly available on Day 3 before eventually being taken at No. 158 overall in the fifth.
This is something seen every year during the draft. Teams don’t take a shine to a certain college prospect and he loses a lot of money in the process. But considering how disruptive Nixon was in 2020 for the Hawkeyes, his drop was more eye-catching than most.
Others’ loss might be Carolina’s gain in the long term. There won’t be any great pressure for Nixon to come in and make an immediate impression in the starting lineup thanks to the presence of Derrick Brown, DaQuan Jones, Bravvion Roy, and three-technique Morgan Fox on the depth chart. So a gradual transition to a professional environment might serve him well in the coming years.
The Panthers got themselves some real value in the later rounds providing each prospect realizes their potential. Scott Fitterer gained a strong reputation for this during his stint with the Seattle Seahawks and if he can do the same in Carolina, it will do their chances of postseason football the world of good.
However, two questions need to be asked where Nixon is concerned. Why did he fall so far and should the Panthers be worried?