Carolina Panthers draft Dontay Corleone
- Defensive Line | Cincinnati Bearcats
- Round No. 5 | Pick No. 157
As previously mentioned, the Carolina Panthers have a substantial investment in their trenches on both sides of the football. But there is a need to strengthen, and finding cheaper options via the draft should be prioritized.
The Panthers don't have much money to spend right now. If Dan Morgan decides to cut A'Shawn Robinson to save funds, a replacement will be needed on the interior of Carolina's 3-4 defensive front.
This might be a good time to find a legitimate nose tackle capable of eating up space for others to do damage. Dontay Corleone is an interesting case, but his physical traits and surprising ability to get after quarterbacks in obvious pass-rushing situations make him a risk worth contemplating.
Corleone, nicknamed "The Godfather" for obvious reasons, has a core frame and a strong base that make him difficult to move off the block. That's something the Panthers have craved for years.
Carolina Panthers draft Vincent Anthony Jr.
- Edge Rusher | Duke Blue Devils
- Round No. 5 | Pick No. 161
Taking an edge rusher this late in the process may be surprising to some fans. However, with the Panthers already boasting two promising young pass-rushers in Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, general manager Dan Morgan might be looking for a proven veteran in free agency rather than another high-end draft prospect.
This will become clearer in the coming weeks. If the Panthers don't fortify the room in free agency, they could spend one of their opening selections on improving the position. If they manage to sign a prolific option, it shouldn't prevent Morgan from adding to the rotation.
Vincent Anthony Jr. could be a high-value choice here. The Duke prospect flashed pass-rushing capabilities last season en route to 7.5 sacks. He can set the edge against the run and become disruptive. And at 21 years old, he might only be scratching the surface of what he's capable of.
Carolina Panthers draft Jakobe Thomas
- Safety | Miami Hurricanes
- Round No. 6 | Pick No. 199
The Panthers could use some fine-tuning in their safety room this offseason. Tre'von Moehrig and Lathan Ransom will have parts to play, but with Nick Scott entering free agency, another option is needed at some stage.
Ransom could develop into a starter. There will be options worth considering on the free-agent market. There is also the possibility of going down the draft route once other, more pressing priorities are solved beforehand.
Carolina may end up taking a safety higher than this. But if Dan Morgan could find someone to help on the back end with their final pick, that would be a massive boost. It could also save them a ton of money along the way.
Someone like Jakobe Thomas has the size and athleticism to potentially impact the rotation immediately. The Miami prospect needs to refine his discipline and tackling technique, but his ball-hawk capabilities make him an intriguing option.