Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: Blockbuster trade edition

Carolina Panthers select Luke Musgrave

• Tight End | Oregon State Beavers

Following the Carolina Panthers trade for the No. 1 pick that sent D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears, it is important that the front office finds enough skilled talent this offseason to surround their future franchise quarterback. C.J. Stroud, in this scenario.

I believe that if you are drafting a quarterback high in the first round, you better get a security blanket to go with him either through the open market or the player selection process. Here, the Panthers decide to make Luke Musgrave that stable pass-catching presence.

There is already a lot to like with the tight end. At the Senior Bowl, Musgrave impressed teams with the amount of fluidity and burst he displayed at 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds. He’s shown the ability to high-point balls at the catch point while getting chunk yards after the catch.

No-doubt that Musgrave has the potential to be a star at the tight-end position. He will need playing time and continued growth from a strength and football IQ standpoint while developing more separation skills to beat defenders in man and zone coverage, but the talent is there.

While Musgrave may not make a big-time impact in his rookie campaign, years two and three could see him take the next step of being Carolina’s true successor to Greg Olsen.