Carolina Panthers 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: New beginnings edition

Carolina Panthers select T’Vondre Sweat

• Defensive Line | Texas Longhorns
• No. 65 overall

An underrated issue of the Carolina Panthers defense this season was their inability to consistently maintain two-gap integrity against the run or generate pressure outside of Derrick Brown and, on occasion, Nick Thurman. They simply do not have the correct personnel to two-gap against the run, especially in a 3-4 base front. 

It also hurt Carolina that they did not have a true nose tackle. Attempting to lean on Shy Tuttle - who was out of position - was never a fit. If Ejiro Evero returns as defensive coordinator, he needs players that fit his system in the middle of the defense front. Why not snag that guy on Day 2 of the NFL Draft with T’Vondre Sweat?

At 6-foot-4 and 346 pounds, Sweat is as advertised. He is a nose tackle that can consistently clog double teams, split them by using incredible raw power, and engulf ball carriers in the backfield. As a pass rusher, he’s going to use that brute force to generate pressure while creating leverage to stack-and-shed offensive linemen.

The 2023 Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year still has room to grow as a third-down rusher. His lateral mobility isn’t terrific, which means he’ll be limited to nose tackle at the next level.

Even so, Sweat could be an impact player early on in his career, especially on early downs. This would be a welcomed addition for a Panthers defense that struggled to defend the run.