Carolina Panthers full 7-round 2022 NFL mock draft ahead of Week 1
By Dean Jones
Lewis Cine – S (Georgia)
The Carolina Panthers could be on the lookout for a long-term partner for Jeremy Chinn at the safety position next year. Juston Burris is heading into the final year of his deal and may not come back, and this also depends on how much the likes of Kenny Robinson and Sam Franklin grow in Year 2 of their professional careers.
Should the Panthers opt to go in this direction with one of their top-end selections during the draft, then Lewis Cine is a prospect to monitor closely. The Georgia star has been a productive starter over the last two seasons and brought his game on considerably for the Bulldogs in 2020.
Cine has the physicality and explosiveness to make a real difference on the backend. There are some difficulties in coverage on occasions, but the player does possess the necessary instincts to get the job done more often than not.
Carolina is tied to Sam Darnold for the 2022 season at the very least. So they’d be wise to build other areas of the roster before coming to a final conclusion regarding the signal-caller.
A potential partnership between Cine and Chinn is one that could benefit the Panthers for years to come. But there is a chance the player goes higher than this if he makes yet further progress during the current campaign.