How did the Carolina Panthers 2022 NFL Draft class fare during their rookie campaigns?
The Carolina Panthers didn’t have an abundance of 2022 NFL Draft picks thanks to the Sam Darnold trade. But those in power emerged from the all-important selection weekend with some intriguing pickups all things considered.
General manager Scott Fitterer is gaining a solid reputation for unearthing draft gems. However, a difficult season for the Panthers meant relying on inexperienced figures simply wasn’t an option until Steve Wilks took charge.
There’s always an eagerness for first-year pros to step in and make an immediate difference. Even if the reality is often far different more often than not.
With this in mind, we took a look at and re-graded Carolina’s 2022 draft class after Year No. 1 of their professional careers.
Round No. 7
Kalon Barnes – Former Carolina Panthers CB
- No. 242 overall selection | Baylor Bears
Matt Rhule just couldn’t resist taking another former college player and bringing him to the Carolina Panthers. Although Kalon Barnes had elite speed, it didn’t take long for most to realize he wasn’t going to carve out a successful future for himself.
Barnes found life difficult in training camp and it wasn’t long before the Panthers cut ties entirely. The cornerback found his way onto the Miami Dolphins practice squad before moving to the Minnesota Vikings, where he played three games as a special teamer.
Draft Grade: D
Late-round selections are always a shot in the dark. In Barnes’ case, it was a swing and a miss from Carolina.
Cade Mays – Carolina Panthers OL
- No. 199 overall selection | Tennessee Volunteers
The Carolina Panthers got some major improvements from their offensive line in 2022. A combination of superior coaching, health, and impressive acquisitions saw this unit become one of the league’s biggest surprises, which is a solid foundation to build around moving forward.
While this was undoubtedly a positive, it left opportunities limited for Cade Mays. The sixth-round selection was acquired after displaying consistency and versatility in equal measure at Tennessee, but it’s hard to know what the Panthers have in the player right now.
Mays was used in specific jumbo packages and earned time on the offensive line interior when injuries occurred to Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen. The player was even used as a full-back within Carolina’s run-first scheme under Steve Wilks.
In total, Mays featured in just 51 snaps on offense, giving up one sack and earning a 62.6 grade from Pro Football Focus. But opportunity could knock early in 2023 depending on how Corbett recovers from his significant knee complication.
Draft Grade: C+
While the jury is still out regarding Mays’ chances of becoming a dominant NFL starter, there’s a lot to like about his prospects as a core depth piece. Something that will likely happen during the player’s sophomore campaign.
Amare Barno – Carolina Panthers DE
- No. 189 overall selection | Virginia Tech Hokies
One glaring failure for the Carolina Panthers last season was their lack of pass-rushing prowess opposite stud defensive end Brian Burns. Their decision to promote Yetur Gross-Matos in favor of extending Haason Reddick came back to bite them, with the omer Penn State star notching just 2.5 sacks and offering very little throughout the campaign.
Marquis Haynes Sr. once again flashed from a rotational role. But for some unbeknown reason, the Panthers are reluctant to hand him starting reps frequently despite Gross-Matos’ struggles.
Carolina’s depth also came to the fore on occasions. Something that made their decision to make Amare Barno a relative afterthought all the more bizarre.
Barno came in as a sixth-round selection that was deemed a development project until further notice. It took time for the player to adjust, but there were tremendous flashes of quality over the second half of 2022 when he finally earned reps.
Draft Grade: B-
Much like the situation with Cade Mays, it’s hard to evaluate Barno’s future starting hopes. However, the edge defender has more than enough explosiveness to become a key depth piece with additional development ahead of Year 2.
Brandon Smith – Carolina Panthers LB
- No. 120 overall selection | Penn State Nittany Lions
Finding a long-term solution at middle linebacker remains a significant thorn in the Carolina Panthers’ side. While the franchise might never find another Luke Kuechly, quick fixes in free agency have failed miserably in the years following his shock retirement.
Brandon Smith‘s selection was an intriguing one at the time. Although rough around the edges, the physically gifted prospect came into the Panthers with all the physical intangibles needed to carve out a role for himself over time.
Thanks in no small part to Damien Wilson’s suspect production, Smith stepped into the limelight under Steve Wilks. Even though some mistakes emerged – which wasn’t unexpected – his instincts and athleticism made a real difference before injury cut his rookie campaign short.
Couple this with some encouraging contributions on special teams, and it’s not hard to see why some fans are still high on Smith’s long-term prospects. However, the Panthers must bring in reinforcements to solidify the second level this offseason.
Draft Grade: C+
Smith has demonstrated improvements throughout his rookie campaign, which is all Carolina probably hoped for as turbulence enveloped the organization. What’s important for the player is building on his late momentum before OTAs and camp roll around.
Matt Corral – Carolina Panthers QB
- No. 94 overall selection | Ole Miss Rebels
It’s clear the Carolina Panthers were going to bolster their quarterback options last spring. Sam Darnold’s first campaign under center following his trade from the New York Jets was a complete disaster, so something had to be done.
Before the Panthers swung for the fences with Baker Mayfield, the team traded up to No. 94 overall for Matt Corral, who plunged out of first-round contention after an evaluation process littered with question marks.
This was seen as a risk worth taking by Carolina’s decision-makers. But the signal-caller’s initial development was hindered in training camp as Matt Rhule went forward with a battle between Darnold and Mayfield for the No. 1 job.
Corral’s limited reps were with third and fourth stringers. Something that came to a head in the preseason when the Ole Miss product suffered a serious Lisfranc injury that ruled him out for the entire campaign.
Draft Grade: Incomplete
The Panthers haven’t got the first clue about what Corral is or could be. With a new regime coming into the fold and the promise of another high-end quarterback from the college ranks, the player faces an uphill battle for a starting position in 2023.
Ikem Ekwonu – Carolina Panthers OT
- No. 6 overall selection | North Carolina State Wolfpack
Outside of the quarterback, the Carolina Panthers desperately needed to find a franchise left tackle before the 2022 season. Considering the cost of acquiring one in free agency, the draft was undeniably the best option for those in power to investigate.
After thorough evaluations, Ikem Ekwonu was the top player on their board. However, there weren’t many scenarios where the Panthers envisaged he’d fall out of the top five and into the laps.
As it turned out, Carolina got a gift from the football gods. And one they were right not to waste.
Ekwonu got baptized by Myles Garrett in Week 1, which was anticipated. However, upon examining the former North Carolina State standout’s rookie campaign overall, it was hugely impressive.
The blindside presence developed encouragingly as the season went on. Ekwonu’s pass protection was a nice surprise and the player’s dominant run blocking also came to the fore as part of Carolina’s power scheme implemented by Ben McAdoo and Steve Wilks.
There were times of struggle and discipline concerns. But this was the right pick and the Panthers now have their franchise left tackle at long last.
Draft Grade: A
Ekwonu was a slam dunk pick that met expectations. He is now a core foundational piece for the Panthers to build around for future progress.