5 players the Carolina Panthers should regret not drafting in 2021

Which players should the Carolina Panthers regret not drafting in 2021 based on their efforts during the respective rookie campaigns?

It was a solid draft overall for the Carolina Panthers in 2021. They got a stud cornerback in Jaycee Horn at No. 8 overall and managed to find some valuable contributors further down the pecking order that leaves plenty of reasons to be encouraged moving forward.

This is something that should be an asset to the Panthers long-term. Although it’s vital they do the same this spring with only one selection in the top-100 right now.

Whether general manager Scott Fitterer can acquire some additional draft capital is unclear. But even though last year’s class was impressive, there are always some missed chances that Carolina could have selected in hindsight.

With this in mind, here are five players the Panthers should regret not drafting based on their rookie efforts in 2021.

Player No. 1

Carolina Panthers should regret not drafting Pat Freiermuth

The Carolina Panthers did pick up Tommy Tremble to bolster their tight-end options. The Notre Dame product flashed moments of quality. But he remains a work in progress, and missing the opportunity to select Pat Freiermuth is a decision that might come back to haunt the organization.

Freiermuth was taken at No. 55 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers and after a slow start, really came to the fore and there is every chance he can become a prolific pass-catching weapon in 2022 and beyond.

Carolina opted to trade down in the second round and pass on some intriguing prospects. Freiermuth is something that could have helped enormously and if Tremble doesn’t work out, then looking back with a sense of regret will shortly follow.