With less than a month until the NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers are spending time on the road watching prospects to gather more information as each meeting narrows the board to where they want it ahead of the selection process.
General manager Dan Morgan has a task in front of him to land the best prospects available early in the process. One of the things he is well-known for in his last two drafts as a decision-maker is making moves with at least two selection slots, and it wouldn't be a surprise if, after having a terrific free agency, the front-office supremo makes at least a move or two next month.
With that in mind, let's dive into the latest mock draft, using the Pro Football Focus simulator, to explore our latest predictions for the upcoming NFL Draft and how the Panthers may approach the big weekend.
Carolina Panthers seven-round mock draft during the height of Pro Days
Round 1, No. 23 overall (via Philadelphia Eagles): Kadyn Proctor
- Offensive Tackle | Alabama Crimson Tide
In this scenario, Carolina moves down a few spots with the Eagles to land their offensive tackle of the future, receiving an extra fourth-round pick and a future third-round choice as the Eagles get aggressive for a wide receiver.
The Panthers were present at Kadyn Proctor's pro day this past week, and subtle hints from the team's website over the past few weeks have suggested that the massive 6-foot-6, 352-pound offensive tackle could be in serious consideration for the team's first-round selection.
Proctor has plenty of ups and downs on his tape, and going down with his weight could help ease the strain he puts on himself when working vertically in his pass sets. Some will compare him to Ikem Ekwonu, but the toolkit is there to be a much better blocker on the edge.
Round 2, No. 45 overall (via Baltimore Ravens): Jacob Rodriguez
- Linebacker | Texas Tech Red Raiders
In another drastic move, Morgan moves up six spots in the second round to take the linebacker of his choice and one of the most intriguing prospects of the pre-draft cycle, sending a fifth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in the process.
Jacob Rodriguez is a takeaway machine and plays with great range, coverage prowess, and explosiveness downhill. However, his size does play a factor in some of the key concerns, such as struggling to hold the point of attack, take on blockers in the gap, and play with consistency as a tackler.
Rodriguez's best projects as the Panthers' WILL inside linebacker, where he can be used in space rather than closer to the line of scrimmage.
Round 3, No. 83 overall: Chandler Rivers
- Cornerback | Duke Blue Devils
The Panthers must find an adequate defender at nickel, and Chau Smith-Wade hasn't shown enough reliability in that role. Rivers is another smaller corner, but he fits perfectly as a nickel with terrific explosiveness to the football, whether in the air or against the run. He thrives as an off-coverage defender who can read and react, and shows plenty of assertion at the catch point.
Round 4, No. 114 overall (via Eagles): Trey Zuhn III
- Tackle/Center | Texas A&M Aggies
With Luke Fortner on the roster, there is no rush to put a rookie into the fire, but Trey Zuhn III could provide long-term stability at the position with short-term value as a potential swing tackle if Fortner gets the nod in Year 1. Zuhn is a great mover in space with enough power for displacement at the line of scrimmage and fits perfectly in the Panthers' zone-blocking scheme.
Round 4, No. 119 overall: Albert Regis
- Defensive Tackle | Texas A&M Aggies
Albert Regis is a player who creates natural leverage with a stocky 6-foot-1, 310-pound frame. He's quick off the line of scrimmage and can penetrate the backfield consistently, with ample play strength at the point of attack and the short-area quickness to win one-on-one pass-rush reps.
Round 5, No. 158 overall: Cyrus Allen
- Wide Receiver | Cincinnati Bearcats
While not the biggest wideout at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Cyrus Allen does provide a slightly bigger frame than former Day 3 pick Jimmy Horn Jr. Allen does a great job of staying clean against press-man with release variety and natural separation as a pass-catcher, paired with the dynamic explosiveness to generate big plays.
Round 6, No. 200 overall: Jalen Huskey
- Safety | Maryland Terrapins
Jalen Huskey may not be the most athletically gifted safety, but his football intelligence allows him to be in the right place at the right time, showcasing great processing and reaction speed to movement around him, and he can thrive in a single-high role, reading and attacking from depth.