Carolina Panthers 7-round 2023 NFL mock draft: BPA edition
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers draft Trenton Simpson
- Linebacker | Clemson Tigers | No. 39 overall
Moving to a 3-4 base defense with variation aplenty is something the Carolina Panthers can put to good use under Ejiro Evero. Something that could see the defensive coordinator become a leading head coaching candidate in 2024 along the way.
General manager Scott Fitterer has highlighted his intent to get another speedy linebacker into the fold at some stage during the draft. If Trenton Simpson fell out of the first round and into their laps at No. 39 overall, it would be a difficult opportunity to overlook.
Simpson is a three-down presence capable of impacting proceedings on any given down. He is explosive rushing the passer, has enough functional strength to influence the running game, and also more than holds his own in coverage for good measure.
It would be a shock to see Simpson fall out of the first round, in all honesty. There is just too much high-end upside for a team not to gamble on him with their opening pick - although this might come further down the pecking order than most expected before the 2022 campaign.
If Simpson did become Carolina's pick here, it would also be history-making. Much has been made about the Panthers never selecting a player from Clemson, but this makes a ton of sense as Evero looks to hit the ground running in a different environment.