5 under-the-radar prospects Panthers should watch at 2022 combine

Carolina Panthers should watch EJ Perry

Gambling on a quarterback at the top-end of the draft might not be the smartest move for the Carolina Panthers. Although another bold bid for a veteran in the trade market cannot be ruled out after Sam Darnold failed to meet expectations following his trade from the New York Jets.

With Cam Newton unlikely to come back and P.J. Walker fighting for a roster spot in camp, the Panthers could use this opportunity to pick up a development project who might be able to play a part in the coming years.

Should the primary decision-makers go down this route, then EJ Perry is a sneaky name to watch that could boost his stock significantly at the NFL Scouting Combine. The standard of competition wasn’t exactly SEC caliber at Brown, but the signal-caller has a lot of solid intangibles that could transition well to the next level over time.

Perry can make all the right throws, is accurate more often than not, and has athleticism that does surprise. There is also superb velocity to his throws that will make NFL scouts sit up and take notice.

As is the case with most quarterbacks in this class, Perry has some flaws. His deep ball needs some work and there is a tendency to make the wrong decisions when pressure is in his face.

This pick needs to be made with the long-term in mind. But it wouldn’t hurt the Panthers to keep their eye on Perry in Indianapolis, at the very least.