Panthers make daring move to No. 1 in CBS Sports NFL mock draft

The Carolina Panthers made a daring move up to No. 1 overall for their franchise quarterback in CBS Sports’ latest 2023 NFL mock draft.

All the talk right now is about which way the Carolina Panthers are going to go with their next head coach. The list appears to be shortening and David Tepper‘s pivotal meeting in Manhattan with Sean Payton is something for fans to keep a close eye on in the coming days.

Once a new appointment is officially confirmed, the Panthers must immediately turn their attention to finding a franchise quarterback. And now Matt Rhule is no longer part of the decision-making process, there could finally be improvements to personnel moves.

Rhule couldn’t properly evaluate or develop NFL quarterbacks. A constant stream of failed trades and suspect free-agent pickups played a significant role in his eventual demise, so the Panthers might not get a better chance to hit the reset button at football’s most critical position.

The best way to do this is via the 2023 NFL Draft. But from No. 9 overall after their resurgence under Steve Wilks, those in power need to be bold in pursuit of getting their guy.

Carolina Panthers surge to No. 1 overall for Will Levis in CBS Sports mock draft

This topic was recently brought to light by Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports in his latest mock draft. The respected writer projected the Panthers to surge all the way up to No. 1 overall after striking a mammoth trade agreement with the Chicago Bears.

The pick? Not Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, but rather Will Levis out of Kentucky.

"“The Panthers get aggressive to land their quarterback in the draft, and make this selection because they become enamored with Levis’ athleticism and arm strength during the pre-draft process.”"

Tepper is known to take a risk or two. Both in business and when it comes to football matters.

However, if this hypothetical scenario did come to fruition, it would further fracture a fanbase that is becoming disillusioned with his ownership since Tepper bought the team from Jerry Richardson.

Levis did struggle over his final season with the Wildcats. But the prospect has all the intangibles that team’s normally look to secure early in the draft.

His arm strength is exceptional. This enables Levis to make every throw imaginable with relative ease and it is matched by physicality and mobility in equal measure.

There are some concerns with Levis, most notably when it comes to decision-making, processing, and pre-snap recognition of blitz packages and specific coverages.

This bold trade-up to the first-overall selection won’t be cheap. But after so long in the quarterback wilderness, it cannot be ruled out entirely if Tepper gets his way.

Many expect Levis to be a productive pro in time. Anyone expecting miracles right out of the gate is kidding themselves, so the Panthers acquiring a short-term bridge while he develops further would be extremely prudent.

Carolina’s fanbase is unlikely to receive this news well. Many are skeptical about Levis’ chances at the next level, but the only opinion that matters is that of Tepper and other influential front office personnel such as Scott Fitterer and Dan Morgan.

Levis has yet to accept his invitation to the 2023 Senior Bowl, which seems strange considering how much it could boost his draft stock. But whether he makes the trip to Mobile or not, the Panthers will examine the signal-caller’s capabilities heavily before coming to a final decision.

And as always, Tepper’s unpredictability means nothing is off the table.