6 NFC South rival 2022 draft picks the Carolina Panthers should fear

Carolina Panthers should fear Arnold Ebiketie

Another member of the Atlanta Falcons on the list is a physical pass-rusher with the explosiveness to match. Arnold Ebiketie was snapped up quickly by the franchise after he fell out of the first round, which was a similar situation to the Carolina Panthers taking Yetur Gross-Matos in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Outside of perhaps Dante Fowler Jr., the Falcons had almost no consistent pass-rush in 2021. This also allowed teams to focus heavily on preventing Grady Jarrett from influencing proceedings from the defensive tackle position.

If Ebiketie adjusts well to a professional environment, he could be a Day 1 starter with the scope to wreak havoc. His 9.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss at Penn State propelled him into top-end consideration and if the player puts this momentum to good use, then the sky is the limit.

The Carolina Panthers’ offensive line was addressed as a matter of urgency this offseason. Bradley Bozeman and Austin Corbett were signed in free agency and the team also got lucky with Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 overall, who will be their new franchise left tackle.

Ebiketie needs some work on his pass-rushing repertoire before becoming a true NFL force. However, that does not mean this isn’t a threat Carolina shouldn’t take seriously.