Carolina Panthers 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Dog hunting edition

Carolina Panthers draft Javion Cohen

• Offensive Line | Miami Hurricanes
• No. 140 overall

There's a good chance Dan Morgan addresses the offensive line much sooner than this. The Carolina Panthers endured a torrid time across their protection last season. Injuries didn't help, but some prominent starters regressed considerably to further raise concerns.

Ikem Ekwonu's sophomore slump was well-documented and became a constant source of frustration. Bradley Bozeman also didn't look comfortable for large parts of the campaign. Whether this was down to the blocking concepts or the start of something more concerning remains to be seen.

One could argue that keeping the same starting five has merits if Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett return to 100 percent. Joe Gilbert's prowess from a coaching capacity will benefit the offensive line immensely after he opted to join Dave Canales. However, the need to solidify depth is essential after this became exposed in 2023.

Javion Cohen looks like the sort of development project who could become a starter over time. At the very least, he'd be a huge upgrade on Carolina's backup options right out of the gate. What comes after that will be down to the player's work ethic.

Cohen excels in pass protection. He is technically sound with decent footwork. There's also a lot to like about his hand placement once the prospect gets to the point of attack first.

The Miami prospect isn't the biggest, which could see his stock fall. He'll also need to improve his functional strength to become a run-blocking asset at the next level.