4 tight end prospects the Carolina Panthers could draft in 2024

Carolina Panthers could draft Jaheim Bell

Jaheim Bell is a project prospect, coming in at TE9 in my rankings. He may ultimately end up not making the NFL roster of the team that drafts him if they don’t have a specific plan for utilizing what the player brings to the table.

Bell began his collegiate career just down I-77 at the University of South Carolina. As a Gamecock, he amassed 56 receptions, 757 yards, and 7 touchdowns. He then transferred to Florida State and put up a decent accumulation this past season with 39 catches for 503 yards and two trips to the end zone.

Why Bell is deemed as a project, however, begins with his physical measurements. At 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, he’s undersized for a traditional tight end. He didn't excel as an in-line player in college largely due to not holding up terrifically against linemen and bigger defenders in blocking assignments. But I circle back to that Swiss army knife sentiment from Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales to see why this might be a potential option.

A team will have to be creative and intentional with Bell, but there’s a shade of Jonnu Smith in his potential contribution to an offensive attack. He’s a bowling ball with the ball in his hands. Something the Panthers have lacked from the tight end position since Greg Olsen was allowed to leave for the Seattle Seahawks.

He has great contact balance and lower-half strength to explode through tackles and displays good balance to extend his attack after the first blow from an opposing defender. Getting the ball in Bell's hands is the other half, and it’s less appealing as he does have work to do in his route running.

But if a team is looking for a special teams contributor with a late-round pick that could also potentially be integrated into situational offensive usage? Bell is an interesting name to keep an eye on.