4 players the Panthers could have drafted instead of Terrace Marshall Jr.
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers could have drafted Creed Humphrey
- No. 63 overall selection – Kansas City Chiefs
Looking back, not selecting Creed Humphrey may be a move the Carolina Panthers regret for years to come. After just a year in the league, the Oklahoma product already looks set to be a franchise center with the Kansas City Chiefs, starting all 17 games.
The former Sooner was voted into the all-rookie team on his way to a 91.4 grade from Pro Football Focus, which was the highest at the position across the entire league. This was also the best single-season mark ever given for a rookie at the position by PFF.
With the Panthers struggling at center in 2021 deploying Matt Paradis, Sam Tecklenburg, and Pat Elflein at the position it’ll sting to know that a player of Humphrey’s ability was still on the board when they took Terrace Marshall Jr.
Humphrey allowed just a single sack across the season and he didn’t allow a single pressure in six of his last seven games. With the Panthers struggling to protect the quarterback in 2021, having someone like the interior lineman could have improved what was a poor offensive unit.
With Paradis a free agent and unlikely to return after tearing his ACL, it remains to be seen who’ll be snapping the ball in 2022. Iowa stud Tyler Linderbaum is being touted as a first-round talent and Day 1 starter and after missing out on Humphrey last year, don’t be surprised if Scott Fitterer goes in this particular direction either at No. 6 or with a trade down.