Carolina Panthers 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Best player available edition

Carolina Panthers select Brandon Dorlus

• Edge Rusher | Oregon Ducks
• No. 65 overall

At this point, most Carolina Panthers fans would like to see a wide receiver here following an offensive lineman at No. 33 overall. Again, this is a best-player-available scenario - one I will be doing for plenty of upcoming mock drafts in the foreseeable future.

The best player on the board here is Oregon Ducks pass rusher Brandon Dorlus.

I don’t think Dorlus will be a true No. 2 rushing mate opposite of Brian Burns, should he return. That doesn’t mean he cannot be an impact pressure-maker from a variety of alignments. At 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, the prospect offers inside-out versatility where he can be disruptive from either a 4i technique or stand-up rusher alignment.

In some ways, Dorlus could be seen as the replacement for Yetur Gross-Matos should he test free agency.

The former three-star high school recruit offers powerful hands at the point of attack where he has shown to win with burst, stack-and-shed, and natural leverage. Dorlus isn’t a flashy athlete. But one thing I’ve come to learn is that being a disruptive presence along any defensive front will get you places.

Dorlus won’t be a 10-plus sack artist, and that’s okay. What he could provide for the Panthers or any team for that matter is versatility and active hands that allow him to cook up disruption of the quarterback’s pocket.