6 first-round targets for the Carolina Panthers in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Charles Cross – OT (Mississippi State)
If the Carolina Panthers continue their freefall and end up picking in the top-10 for a third straight season, then someone like Charles Cross comes into contention. The Mississippi State standout is a phenomenal performer with all the tools needed to continue his upward trend in the NFL as a stud left tackle and a potential 10-year starter.
Cross gets left on an island a lot in the Air Raid offense implemented by head coach Mike Reid. This would be a real problem for some, but his flawless athleticism and recovery skills have seen the prospect thrive with this sort of responsibility over a two-year period.
Cam Erving is not the answer at left tackle for the Panthers. Nobody expected miracles when they inexplicably signed the former first-round pick to a two-year deal on Day 1 of free agency and his big talk before each game hasn’t been backed up when it matters most.
Much will depend on whether the Panthers decide to draft a quarterback of the future to sit behind and eventually replace Sam Darnold. But if acquiring a left tackle is their preferred direction, Cross should arguably be No. 1 on their list along with Alabama‘s Evan Neal.
Considering how much more Cross can develop physically, there’s just no telling how much he can improve moving forward. Something that’s going to put more than a few NFL teams on high alert during the evaluation process.