5 players the Carolina Panthers should regret not drafting in 2021
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers should regret not drafting Creed Humphrey
Finding quality linemen via the draft is something that was relatively ignored by the Carolina Panthers in 2021. They waited until the third round to address this critical need and only ended up with two protectors despite accumulating 11 selections from a frenzied period of trade movement up and down the board.
Terrace Marshall Jr. was the call at No. 59 overall after trading down. The wide receiver arrived with some intriguing skills, even though he was a luxury given the need for assistance elsewhere.
The former LSU star was virtually anonymous during his rookie season. If he cannot pick things up ahead of his sophomore campaign, then passing on Creed Humphrey will end up being a critical error of judgment.
Humphrey slid all the way down to No. 63 overall and into the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. The center wasted little time in establishing himself in the starting lineup and became a key cog in the team’s plans thanks to a series of dominant displays.
The Oklahoma product gave up just one sack and conceded six penalties from 1,184 snaps in 2021 to secure an exceptional 91.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. Had the Panthers gone in this direction, it’s a position they wouldn’t have had to worry about for a decade or more.