4 prospects rising up the Panthers draft board after 2023 Senior Bowl
By Dean Jones
Which NFL Draft prospects should be rising up the Carolina Panthers board following the annual 2023 Senior Bowl game?
There was an enormous sense of excitement as NFL hopefuls took the field for one of the biggest showcases on the evaluation calendar. This year’s Senior Bowl might not have had a legitimate projected first-round quarterback for scouts to salivate over, but there were plenty of enticing prospects capable of making their presence felt at the next level.
The Carolina Panthers have seven selections in the top 150 after trading Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers. There should also be a more collective thought process to recruitment after Matt Rhule’s meddling is no longer going to be an issue.
If the Panthers make the correct personnel moves this offseason, they could emerge as NFC South favorites in 2023 – the first season with Frank Reich at the helm. Money is tight on their salary cap currently, so an excellent draft class will go a long way to achieving this objective.
With that being said, here are four prospects that should be rising up Carolina’s draft board after the 2023 Senior Bowl.
Prospect No. 1
Carolina Panthers should monitor Ivan Pace Jr.
- Linebacker | Cincinnati Bearcats
Ivan Pace Jr. might be a little undersized, but his explosiveness and natural instincts are evident and were once again on show during the Senior Bowl. Something that is sure to make teams sit up and take notice despite the obvious concerns.
Pace is lively, physical, and has enough explosiveness to become a key depth piece. The Carolina Panthers need assistance at the defensive second level – especially if Damien Wilson, Cory Littleton, and Shaq Thompson move on – so the former Cincinnati standout is a prospect of interest in the mid-rounds.