Panthers 7-round 2023 mock draft: Daring trade brings rewards
By Dean Jones
Which way could the Carolina Panthers go with their 2023 NFL Draft selections if they opted to trade down from No. 3 overall?
Given how inconsistent the Carolina Panthers have been this season, more than a few fans are already setting their sights on the next batch of college hopefuls during an offseason of expected change. There’s a lot of football left and players are still fighting for their own futures, with the lingering cloud of team owner David Tepper’s head coaching decision set to come with substantial ramifications.
Steve Wilks is staking a solid claim and has reinstalled belief within the locker room. But this might not hold much sway with Tepper, who is unpredictable at best and is reportedly looking for an offensive mind to steer this team long-term.
There will be options aplenty for Wilks or a new head coach after the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey. How they spend these selections will go a long way to determining the timeline for Carolina to become relevant.
With this in mind, we took a look at what the Panthers might do with their 2023 selections in our latest seven-round mock draft using the Pro Football Network simulator.
Round No. 1 (Trade)
Carolina Panthers trade down from No. 3
General manager Scott Fitterer has been known to make plenty of trades during the draft if he feels it can benefit the franchise. Some have worked better than others, but this would undoubtedly be the biggest gamble of his time in the role so far.
In this scenario, the Carolina Panthers strike a deal with the Detroit Lions, who moved up to select C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State. Considering the team’s clear need for a long-term solution under center, it’s a monumental call to make in the circumstances.