7 wide receivers the Panthers could select in the 2022 NFL Draft

Carolina Panthers could select Drake London (USC)

Measurements

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 210 pounds

2021 Stats

• 88 receptions
• 1,084 yards (12.3 YPR)
• 7 touchdowns
• 91.3 PFF grade

The Carolina Panthers front office rewarded D.J. Moore with a nice four-year contract extension this offseason, but the man needs help. He has been doing all the dirty work all over the field for the past three years, which simply has to change.

While Moore is the swiss army knife at receiver, and Robby Anderson is supposed to be a deep threat, bringing in a guy with the skillset of USC’s Drake London makes a lot of sense.

London is a big-bodied receiver with fluid athleticism and route-running skills that allow him to just always be open. He doesn’t have breakaway speed and isn’t going to wow you with his 40-time, but if you give him the ball, he is literally going to carry the team on his back down the field for a first down.

If his ability to create separation transitions to the next level, then his floor is at least a No. 2 receiver. With Anderson having one year left on his contract after 2022, having Moore and London locked in as your top two pass catchers for the next four seasons sounds like a great situation to bring a quarterback into.

Adding London to the mix takes a lot of the pressure off of Moore to constantly be the guy who has to make a play down the field. The former USC stud can work down low and the middle of the field and essentially be a quarterback’s best friend whenever he needs to get the ball out of his hands.

London is going to be one of the first wide receivers taken off the board in the first round. Like Garrett Wilson, unless the Panthers are comfortable taking him at No. 6 (they shouldn’t be but it’s possible), this wouldn’t happen unless they trade back.