4 players the Panthers should have drafted over Thomas Fletcher
By Dean Jones
Israel Mukuamu – S
It’s clear that Matt Rhule is a big fan of the type of player being produced in South Carolina. Both Jaycee Horn and Shi Smith were added to the long list of former Gamecocks currently plying their trade for the Carolina Panthers, which got one extra this week with the trade for Stephon Gilmore.
One of the more surprising elements to emerge from the draft was the Panthers overlooking the safety position despite generating 11 selections. Jeremy Chinn was moving to the backend and has transitioned well so far, but getting someone with long-term prospects alongside the Southern Illinois product would have been beneficial.
Israel Mukuamu was passed up in favor of Thomas Fletcher. Fortunately for the defensive back, he didn’t have to wait too much longer and was taken by the Dallas Cowboys at No. 227 overall.
Mukuamu has been a slow burner during the regular season, which wasn’t unexpected and especially considering how well Dallas’ defense is performing so far. He did see some time against the Philadelphia Eagles and held his own, however.
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Couple this with some encouraging displays in the preseason and it’s not hard to see why the Cowboys are so high on Mukuamu’s potential. Something the Panthers could use if Burris and Sam Franklin are shown the door in 2022.