Carolina Panthers 7-round 2022 NFL mock draft: Pre-Combine edition
By Dean Jones
Which way could the Carolina Panthers go with their draft selections ahead of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine this week?
All eyes turn to Indianapolis this week as college prospects from up and down the country take center stage at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. This is an event that the Carolina Panthers will watch closely, with those in attendance also set to begin preliminary discussions surrounding any potential trades they might be interested in during a crucial offseason for the franchise.
To say there is lots at stake for the Panthers in 2022 would be understating things. There are some grave concerns about Matt Rhule as head coach and although David Tepper gave him another go-around, the leash will likely be short if things start poorly when competitive action begins once again.
The past two drafts have been largely successful. But matching this with one pick in the first three rounds might be difficult this time around.
Using the Pro Football Focus machine, we took a look at which way the Panthers might go in a seven-round, pre-combine mock draft.
Round No. 1 (Trade)
Carolina Panthers trade down from No. 6
Finding a willing trade partner could be something the Carolina Panthers look to do with little in the way of selections in the top-100. In this scenario, a deal was struck with the Minnesota Vikings, who moved up six spots under their new regime looking to make an instant splash.
Considering how many holes Carolina needs to fill right now, this would be the smartest solution providing they can still get a top-end prospect in addition to some Day 2 capital. However, considering this year’s quarterback class isn’t considered to be the best, that could be difficult unless someone like Kyle Hamilton falls out of the top five.