5 prospects the Carolina Panthers must avoid during 2024 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers must avoid Adisa Isaac
- Edge Rusher | Penn State Nittany Lions
Adding veteran Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum should not stop the Carolina Panthers from targeting another edge rusher during the 2024 NFL Draft. They lost Yetur Gross-Matos and Frankie Luvu in free agency and also made the tough decision to trade Brian Burns - a move that sparked fierce debate among the fanbase considering the minimal compensation involved.
Dan Morgan is keen to take the best prospects available regardless of positional need. Adisa Isaac is someone who could be worth considering at some stage on Day 2. However, there are reasons to suggest the Panthers should look elsewhere.
Isaac is the latest in a long line of athletic players coming out of Penn State. There are some red flags, which center on his flawed technique that makes him an easy target on running plays. Unless resolved, these will get further exposed by NFL offensive linemen, who don't have any trouble picking on rookies whom they believe to be weak links.
The prospect also displayed plenty of on-field discipline issues during his time with the Nittany Lions. His film is littered with examples of abandoning his responsibilities in favor of individual glory. This is coachable, but it could take time for him to become the complete package.
There's also a chance Isaac is more Gross-Matos than someone like Micah Parsons. There's just no telling for sure.
Gross-Matos was taken No. 38 overall out of the same college program by the Panthers in 2020. He took time to fully adjust, although injuries didn't help his cause. He didn't become anything more than a key rotational piece despite transitioning well to a 3-4 outside linebacker role under Ejiro Evero. This was enough for the San Francisco 49ers to snap him up as a cheaper alternative to Chase Young.
It seems like Isaac is more in this mold than a genuine game-wrecker like Parsons. One couldn't completely dismiss the possibility of Carolina acquiring him, but there's a definite buyer beware attached to the prospect.