Carolina Panthers draft Quincy Riley
- Cornerback | Louisville Cardinals
- Round No. 4 | Pick No. 114
The Carolina Panthers could address their cornerback options a lot sooner than this. Dan Morgan focused on retention rather than incomings throughout the offseason, which is something that will change when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around.
Just where the Panthers take a cornerback is moot. They have to get one to pair with the options already around. This is the best possible chance defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has of improving coverage consistency, although having a better front seven won't hurt, either.
If Morgan chooses to wait a little longer for cornerback reinforcements, Quincy Riley is a name to watch. He's someone the Panthers have reportedly met with several times throughout the assessment stage. Looking at how many 2024 draftees had private visits with Carolina's brass, that matters.
Riley is an instinctive player with fluid movements and exceptional ball skills. Staying in phase with receivers is his specialty, in addition to having the anticipation to turn opportunities into takeaways. That's something the Panthers lacked last season, so it's no surprise to see Carolina examine the prospect's credentials in greater detail.
Any team that drafts Riley will need to build up his strength. If he can find ways to cope with the physical aspect of the NFL, he's got starting promise.
Carolina Panthers draft R.J. Harvey
- Running Back | UCF Knights
- Round No. 5 | Pick No. 140
The Panthers probably weren't entertaining the possibility of drafting another running back, but that's what Dan Morgan should be thinking about once other needs have been met beforehand.
Chuba Hubbard is the top dog after signing a four-year extension last season. The Panthers signed Rico Dowdle in free agency to offset the loss of Miles Sanders, who was released with one year remaining on his deal after talks regarding a pay cut fell flat.
That shouldn't prevent the Panthers from acquiring another running back. Jonathon Brooks, whom Carolina traded up to No. 46 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft to acquire, suffered another torn ACL that could see him miss most if not all of the upcoming campaign. A contingency plan must be found as a matter of urgency.
The Panthers could do with a backfield threat capable of becoming an asset in the passing game. Hubbard and Dowdle are talented, but they lack consistency in this area. That's where R.J. Harvey comes in.
Harvey's lack of legitimate height will hurt his stock. However, he's a devastating force in the open field with a compact running style to exploit even the smallest gaps.
The UCF prospect's diminutive stature works in his favor on passing downs. Harvey plays low to the ground with rapid-fire cuts out of his route stems that make him a quarterback's best friend. If the Panthers went in this direction, they'd have the perfect running back trio until Brooks returns.