Carolina Panthers 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Free agency clues edition

Carolina Panthers draft Jonah Elliss

• Edge Rusher | Utah Utes
• No. 141 overall

Losing Brian Burns, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Frankie Luvu has decimated the Carolina Panthers' pass-rushing options. Bringing in D.J. Wonnum and K'Lavon Chaisson doesn't change that fact. If nobody else is acquired before the draft, then addressing this predicament sooner is almost guaranteed.

Jonah Elliss might be long gone by this spot, in all honesty. The Utah prospect has a ton of speed coming off the edge and boasts a nice arsenal of pass-rushing moves. He's also a willing force against the run thanks to his instincts to identify on-field situations developing quickly and a physical playing style.

Elliss is a little undersized, which is a concern. But switching him to a 3-4 outside linebacker in Ejiro Evero's scheme comes with obvious benefits attached.

Carolina Panthers draft Jalyx Hunt

• Edge Rusher | Houston Christian Huskies
• No. 101 overall

Double-dipping on the edge cannot be ruled out. The Panthers are threadbare in terms of starting help and quality rotational pieces. If Amare Barno and D.J. Johnson don't bring on the respective games this offseason, it's not hard to see where the complications could emerge.

Jalyx Hunt doesn't come with the pedigree of some, but his athletic attributes warrant a close look at this stage of the draft. More importantly, the Houston Christian prospect could be just starting to scratch the surface rather than peaking ahead of time.

If the Panthers can work out some technical flaws where Hunt is concerned, this is a chance well worth taking. The physical profile dictates as much, so it's more about fine-tuning under Eiro Evero and his exceptional defensive staff.