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Carolina Panthers 2023 NFL re-draft: How much would the team change?

Hindsight is always 20/20. Would the Carolina Panthers do anything differently if they had a redo in the 2023 NFL Draft?

By Lou Scataglia

Bryce Young
Bryce Young / Chris Kwiecinski/Tribune / USA TODAY
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Round No. 2 (No. 39. overall)

Carolina Panthers draft Rashee Rice

  • Wide Receiver I SMU Mustangs
  • Previous pick: Jonathan Mingo (WR)

The Carolina Panthers took wide receiver Jonathan Mingo with the No. 39 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. In this re-draft, they'll instead go with Rashee Rice, the stud rookie wide receiver from SMU.

Rice was a yards-after-the-catch machine for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, catching 79 passes for 938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Of course, he also got a Super Bowl ring as a result of his efforts.

His 77.5 percent catch percentage is also extremely impressive. Rice played in 16 regular-season games - starting eight of them - and led the Chiefs wide receivers in receptions and yards. The Panthers drafted Mingo, and boy did he have a rough rookie season.

In 15 games, the rookie wideout caught 43 passes for 418 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. Like Bryce Young, there were some flashes, but Mingo provided little hope in 2023 that he could be a viable, starting-caliber receiver in the NFL.

According to Fantasy Pros, Mingo averaged just 3.6 yards after the catch per reception with 155 in total. It was not the immediate impact many thought possible.

In contrast, Rice had a whopping 653 yards after the catch. Having him instead of Mingo would have likely made life quite a bit easier for Young during his indifferent transition.

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