Carolina Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: A new era dawns

Carolina Panthers select Roschon Johnson

• Running Back | Texas Longhorns

There is no guarantee that D’Onta Foreman returns to the Carolina Panthers this offseason. The organization must be prepared for the possibility of his departure.

This means the Panthers will likely be looking for more depth at the running back spot this coming March and April. In this mock draft scenario, the front office is unable to secure one former Texas Longhorn only to draft another.

Unfortunately, this is not Bijan Robinson. Instead, it’s his teammate and the Longhorns’ No. 2 running back, Roschon Johnson.

Johnson is a very talented back who offers a similar frame to Foreman at 6-foot-2 and 223 pounds. He averaged nearly six yards per carry throughout his college career, showing to be the thunder to Robinson’s lightning on the ground.

The prospect is a physical and tough running back that will break arm tackles and churn his legs for extra yards after contact. Another big plus to Johnson’s game is his passing-down skills.

He’s a great blocker in pass protection and offers natural hands to be a reliable target out of the backfield.

Texas is giving the NFL two incredibly talented running backs who could be impactful players from Day 1. In Carolina, Johnson would be a valuable No. 2 with a chance to be the starter.

Frank Reich is known to love players with a hot hand, especially at running back.