What exactly do the Carolina Panthers have at IOL in 2021?
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers rookies
- Deonte Brown, David Moore, Brady Christensen.
There is an enormous amount of intrigue surrounding the college players joining the Carolina Panthers this summer. This includes a trio of offensive linemen who could play a role in 2021 providing their transition to the pros is a smooth one.
The Panthers are facing a dilemma with Brady Christensen, who played left tackle at BYU but was given a second-round grade at guard by Carolina during the evaluation process.
Much will depend on how Christensen performs at various positions during the preseason. However, it would be a surprise if the third-round pick wasn’t starting somewhere on the protection from Week 1.
The same might also apply to Deonte Brown, although a lot needs to go his way early on. The mammoth guard out of Alabama is a brute force against the run and has surprising athleticism in pass protection for a man his size.
Carolina needs to keep an eye on Brown’s weight – which could cause some problems if not monitored closely – but the Crimson Tide depended on him heavily and if the Panthers can gradually work on his game and conditioning, a starting position might not be far behind.
Another player the Panthers were high on during the evaluation process was David Moore, who was picked up quickly in undrafted free agency. The Grambling State product impressed Carolina’s coaching staff at the 2021 Senior Bowl and although he’s a little undersized compared to a stereotypical guard, he does have the length to keep opposing defensive tackles at bay.