Carolina Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Starting over edition
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers select Jahleel Billingsley
- Tight End | Texas
We’ve mocked Jahleel Billingsley to the Carolina Panthers a lot. Mainly due to the high value attached and the clear need for better options moving forward.
The tight end saw his draft stock plummet after receiving a six-game suspension for something that occurred during his time at Alabama. But that is now over, Billingsley is set to take the field this weekend to give Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers yet another weapon in an explosive offense.
It will be interesting to see how the prospect integrates into the system and how many targets he’ll command. The emergence of sophomore Ja’Tavion Sanders could jeopardize his chances of instant involvement, but Billingsley has far too much talent to be completely ignored.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian declared his delight about getting Billingsley into the fold. Something that could see the Longhorns get even more creative in terms of their scheme.
"“Yeah, it’s great to have Jahleel back. It’s just another addition for us. We’re at our best offensively when we can do a lot of really good things because that makes us harder to defend. We’ve got a multitude of personnel groupings, formations, motion shifts, things of that nature. I think Jahleel can just add to that, and it should not take away from JT (Sanders) at all. JT is a fantastic player and has earned the opportunities that he’s getting in our offense.”"
Billingsley was tabbed as a potential second-round pick before this unfortunate turn of events. His road to redemption starts now and if the Panthers had any sense, they would be casting a very close eye on developments.