Ranking the 9 best Panthers draft options at No. 6 overall in 2022

Carolina Panthers could draft Kayvon Thibodeaux

• Defensive End/Outside Linebacker | Oregon

As stated previously, the Carolina Panthers could use the No. 6 overall selection on a stud pass rusher. There appears little chance of Aidan Hutchinson falling into their laps based on consensus projections, but the same cannot be said of Kayvon Thibodeaux after an eventful evaluation process.

Thibodeaux’s explosiveness is absolutely off the charts. The Oregon product is almost impossible to stop if he gets to the point of attack first and backs this up with a smooth bend and elite finishing capabilities when opportunities arise.

With 35.5 tackles for loss and 19 sacks during his 30 college games with the Ducks, Thibodeaux has the production to match his outstanding skill set. However, teams have reportedly been concerned about his character and how that might cause complications in the pros.

This is something that Thibodeaux brushed off following an exceptional pro day. And the Panthers got a tremendous value pick last time around when Daviyon Nixon – who had the same concerns – fell into the fifth-round and not only performed well before injury cut his season short but also proved these questions had no substance.

Should Thibodeaux make it to No. 6, then the Panthers might just pull the trigger.