Carolina Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Preaching patience
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers select Xavier Hutchinson
- Wide Receiver | Iowa State Cyclones
Things didn’t go quite according to plan for the wide receivers in 2022. However, this wasn’t all their own doing after yet another campaign of quarterback turmoil held the Carolina Panthers back.
Hopefully, this is a problem that finally gets solved this off-season. But after trading Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals, the Panthers need another weapon capable of doing damage when his number’s called.
D.J. Moore and Terrace Marshall Jr. should both improve once Carolina finds a consistent signal-caller. The same might apply to Shi Smith and Laviska Shenault Jr., who flashed briefly without demonstrating enough to warrant a guaranteed starting role next season.
If Xavier Henderson is still on the board at this stage, it’s a tempting proposition. The Iowa State product saved the best for last in 2022, gaining 107 receptions for 1,171 receiving yards and six touchdowns from just 12 games, so the intrigue is there for all to see.
Hutchinson’s size and length make him a dangerous force over short to intermediate routes. The player also comes with top-end speed to blow opposing cornerbacks away when early separation is accomplished.
Once the receiver figures out how best to maximize his production against zone coverages, he could thrive at the next level. And Hutchinson offers the Panthers something they don’t currently have in their wideout room.
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