Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Worst-case scenario edition

What should the Carolina Panthers do in the upcoming NFL Draft with the scouting combine just around the corner?

The Carolina Panthers are entering the NFL Scouting Combine with arguably one of the best coaching staffs assembled. New head coach Frank Reich has put together a group with many years of experience and knowledge that could help the franchise take the next step in making the postseason for the first time in more than six years.

For several months, the Panthers have been a popular destination for the top quarterback prospects in mock drafts and rightfully so. The experiments of Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield were colossal failures, leading to Matt Rhule’s firing.

Carolina will likely use the No. 9 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft on a quarterback. However, it is not guaranteed that the organization takes a signal-caller with its first pick.

The NFL Draft is a complete guessing game full of protections and potential scenarios as it pertains to mock drafts, scouting reports, and how players do or what they become in the NFL. It is not an exact science and if that were the case, picks would be easy to predict.

This mock draft will present a scenario that features the worst-case scenario for a franchise in need of a quarterback. That is all of the top four prospects at the position going off the board before Carolina goes on the clock.

Using the NFL Mock Draft Database simulator, I explore this scenario and what the Panthers may do with the No. 9 overall pick in the NFL Draft.