Panthers 7-round 2022 NFL mock draft: Dealing with devils
By Dean Jones
Which way could the Carolina Panthers go with their 2022 NFL Draft selections with just one week to go until the all-important first round?
We are now just one week away from the 2022 NFL Draft. For Carolina Panthers fans, it won’t be much longer before all the speculation comes to an end and we finally find out which direction the organization is going to go.
It will be interesting to witness, to put it mildly. Some problems were solved in free agency, but there remain a couple of potential complications that might have a detrimental impact on the team’s chances in Year 3 for Matt Rhule.
The Panthers have a lot at stake next season. Something that piles even more pressure on those in power to get their selections right when the time comes.
Using the Pro Football Focus simulator, we took a look at which way the Panthers might go with their picks in our full seven-round 2022 mock draft.
Round No. 1 (Trade)
Carolina Panthers trade back from No. 6 overall
Trading down from No. 6 overall is something the Carolina Panthers will no doubt contemplate if the right offer comes along. They are currently without a second or third-round pick after deals for Sam Darnold and C.J. Henderson, which restricts general manager Scott Fitterer with multiple holes to fill.
In this scenario, a deal is struck with Carolina’s divisional rival, which sees them drop slightly to No. 8 in exchange for the Atlanta Falcons’ second-rounder and a fourth next year. This puts them in a position to select an elite prospect in the top-10 and some Day 2 capital to further sweeten the pot.