5 prospects the Carolina Panthers must avoid during 2024 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers must avoid Jermaine Burton
- Wide Receiver | Alabama Crimson Tide
The Carolina Panthers need to find better weapons for Bryce Young from their seven NFL Draft selections in 2024. General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales have been quick to point out that this is a team sport and they need to find the right balance. At the same time, wasting the quarterback's rookie contract on a lengthy rebuild wouldn't be wise.
One of Young's former playmakers is taking his chances at the next level this year. Jermaine Burton is part of an exceptionally deep wide receiver class and is projected to be taken somewhere between the third and fourth rounds. This would provide the signal-caller with a pass-catcher he's already familiar with, so it's likely the Panthers have done due diligence throughout their comprehensive evaluations.
Burton is talented, there's no getting away from that. However, he's perceived by some to be a problem off the field - especially when things aren't going his way.
Going through six schools in eight years raises questions. Dane Brugler from The Athletic - a man who's more connected than most when it comes to draft preparations around the league - touted the notion he's heard from NFL personnel that Burton wasn't perceived in the best light by his coaches at Alabama and Georgia.
Again, this doesn't look like the sort of player Dan Morgan wants for his cultural restoration project in Carolina. If Young vouches for Burton it's a different story, but any slight concern in a draft class this special could see the Panthers seek alternative options.
It'll be interesting to see where Burton ends up. He's coming off the best statistical campaign of his college career and boasts the athletic traits needed to potentially carve out a successful NFL career. That said, there is a need for him to toe the line and alleviate any concerns teams have about his demeanor away from the gridiron.