5 draft prospects the Panthers don’t want to see in the NFC South
By Dean Jones
Arnold Ebiketie – DE/OLB (Penn State)
No team can ever have enough good pass-rushers. Protecting and getting after the quarterback are the two most important tasks on the field outside of the man under center and the 2022 draft is extremely deep for anyone looking for a new defensive end from the college ranks.
The Carolina Panthers could fall into this category after deciding to let Haason Reddick test the free-agent market. His 11-sack season wasn’t enough for the organization to commit long-term and it didn’t take long for the former first-round pick out of Temple to land a bumper contract with the Philadelphia Eagles once the legal tampering period began.
Not having a Day 2 pick currently could complicate matters for Carolina in their quest for additional assistance on the edge. But they could also have one or two imposing threats to deal with once the draft comes to a conclusion.
Arnold Ebiketie is a gifted physical specimen that is expected to go late in the first or early in the second round. He is the latest explosive pass-rusher to emerge from Penn State, boasting the length and supreme strength that is always a big hit in the pros.
All four teams within the NFC South would be better with Ebiketie on their roster. However, they will not be alone in targeting the player once the top-end guys come off the board.