5 non-quarterback draft prospects the Panthers should target in 2023

Carolina Panthers should target Darnell Washington

• Tight End | Georgia

Finding reliable production at the tight end position has become a problematic riddle for the Carolina Panthers since their decision to let Greg Olsen leave in 2020 free agency. The 2023 NFL Draft should be the time they finally address this position with an elite prospect.

Free agents aren’t cheap – or readily available – when it comes to tight ends. Anyone half decent is kept around by their respective teams and those on the market are likely inconsistent or getting caught up by father time.

The Panthers need to surround their incoming franchise quarterback with everything he needs. Once this has been secured, examining what it could take to land someone with the credentials of Darnell Washington is likely to come up in discussions.

Washington might be playing second-fiddle to Brock Bowers at Georgia. But at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, he represents a matchup nightmare that can thrive in a prominent role with more opportunities.

There’s nothing Washington does poorly on the field. He doesn’t possess elite speed, but the prospect’s physical frame and wide catch radius are serious problems across the middle and in red-zone situations.

If the Panthers are looking to replace the likes of Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble in 2023, then examining Washington’s skills thoroughly during their pre-draft assessments would be a good place to start.