Which quarterback prospects should the Carolina Panthers monitor during the upcoming college football season?
In football, the quarterback position is the most important. They’re the leader of not only your offense but the face of your franchise, usually the team captains and, or, leaders of your organization. Unfortunately, the Carolina Panthers have not had the pleasure of having a franchise quarterback since Cam Newton was released after the 2019 season.
Since he was let go two years ago, the Panthers have started names such as Teddy Bridgewater, P.J. Walker, Sam Darnold, and Newton again this past season.
This year, the Panthers traded for 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick, Baker Mayfield. The fifth-year starter out of Oklahoma has been inconsistent during his career, with his best campaign coming in 2020 when he led the Cleveland Browns to the postseason for the first time since 2002.
After a turbulent 2021 season that featured indifferent plays, injuries, and a rough offseason where the Browns chose to move on from their top draft pick, Mayfield is looking for a fresh start as the guy under center for Carolina. While there is hope that Mayfield can rekindle the magic he had in 2020, the Panthers only have one quarterback under contract in 2023.
Matt Corral, the organization’s third-round selection, suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in the second preseason game and was placed on injured/reserve, ending his season. This means the Panthers will be in a tough spot next year at the most crucial position in football if Mayfield cannot bounce back.
Since Corral played very little in the preseason, Carolina’s front office does not have a great sense of what they have in the former Ole Miss Rebel. This means the Panthers could be in the market for a quarterback once again during the 2023 NFL Draft.
With an exceptional-looking quarterback class in 2023, the Panthers should begin monitoring the prospects within this position group if things go sideways with Mayfield.
Here are four quarterbacks the Panthers should keep a close eye on going into the 2022 college football campaign.