5 draft prospects for the Panthers to replace Christian McCaffrey in 2023

Carolina Panthers could draft Zach Evans

One prospect catching the eye in 2022 is another benefitting enormously from the transfer portal. Zach Evans made the move from TCU to Ole Miss before the campaign and has played a substantial role in the Rebels’ strong opening, bolstering his draft stock along the way.

Evans is something of a throwback compared to most top running back prospects entering the NFL in 2023. He is a downhill runner with burst and physicality in equal measure, which has brought 605 rushing yards and seven touchdowns from 100 carries so far this season.

When one studies Evans, there are some flashes of real quality. His patience and conviction when spotting seams is matched by an ability to turn minimal gains into big yardage that won’t go unnoticed by the Carolina Panthers or others across the league during the assessment process.

While Evans doesn’t possess outstanding straight-line speed, he makes up for this with creativity and intelligence. This is always half the battle with running backs emanating from the college ranks, but there is work to do from a blocking standpoint where the player is concerned.

Should the Panthers turn their attentions elsewhere initially on areas such as quarterback, defensive end, linebacker, or even wide receiver, then Evans could potentially become a target from Round No. 3 onwards.