5 rough diamonds the Carolina Panthers could draft in 2022
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers could draft Zachary Carter
Finding reinforcements on the defensive line is another area where the Carolina Panthers should strengthen via the draft. Haason Reddick and DaQuan Jones both left in free agency, which leaves them short of reliable production unless others step up and fill the void.
Again, there appears some doubt as to whether Carolina will allocate the No. 6 overall selection on a defensive lineman. But that might change if Kayvon Thibodeaux falls out of the top five or the team becomes enamoured with someone like Travon Walker following his exceptional 2021 campaign with Georgia.
Finding a rough diamond in the mid-rounds might be the best way to go. Zachary Carter falls into this bracket and could be a lively outsider to earn prominent reps on the rotation with a smooth transition to a professional environment.
Carter finished his college career at Florida with 102 tackles, 17 sacks, and 26 tackles for loss. He can operate anywhere on the defensive front and is extremely powerful to more than hold his own against the run or in his attempts to get after the quarterback.
He might be a little undersized to play on the interior at the next level. Carter also needs to improve the technical aspect of his game, but there is plenty of encouraging traits for the coaching staff to work with.