5 underrated moves during the Carolina Panthers 2021 offseason
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers drafted Deonte Brown
Now there is some work and obvious monitoring to be considered with this one, but getting a player with the resume of Deonte Brown in the sixth round is remarkable.
Brown was one of college football’s most dominant interior offensive linemen during his time at Alabama, which ended with yet another convincing National Championship victory for the Crimson Tide in 2020.
Most draft analysts had Brown graded in the second or third round. But weight issues and character concerns saw him slip all the way down to No. 193 overall and into the Carolina Panthers’ lap.
Matt Rhule and his staff deemed this a risk worth taking after examining Brown for themselves at the Senior Bowl in Mobile. The guard also got a glowing recommendation from Nick Saban, who is one of the game’s most respected figures and knows talent when he sees it.
Brown is a mammoth presence that dominates in run blocking. He also displays surprising quickness for a man his size in pass protection that can be of some real use down the line.
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Just what the Panthers can expect from Brown during his rookie season is unclear at this juncture. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him become part of the rotation, with the team holding out high hopes he can start in 2022 and beyond that.