Multiple changes in full Carolina Panthers 2021 NFL redraft at the bye
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers Pick No. 158
Daviyon Nixon – DT
The Carolina Panthers appeared to have a steal on their hands when they took Daviyon Nixon – a second-round graded talent that fell into Day 3 due to some character concerns from his time at Iowa.
It didn’t take long to realize that these were a myth and are going to have no implications on Nixon’s NFL career. The defensive tackle flashed real brilliance on a rotational role for the Panthers’ defensive line before his season was cut short through injury, which was a major blow to the franchise and the player.
Although this concluded Nixon’s rookie campaign on a sour note, he can look back on his production with a great sense of pride. And make no mistake, the Panthers made the correct call bringing him on board.
Nixon displayed eye-catching ability when it came to generating pressure. There was also encouraging progress in his run spotting and the lineman could not be faulted for effort on almost every snap.
Carolina’s had some problems on the defensive front since Nixon went out. So the coaching staff will be hoping he can resume his encouraging level of performance in 2022.
This was a shrewd pick by the Panthers. Perhaps their best-value selection of the entire 2021 NFL Draft weekend.