Could family ties lead the Carolina Panthers to Luke McCaffrey?

The Carolina Panthers need more help at the wide receiver position. Could this lead those in power to someone like Luke McCaffrey?

Finding Bryce Young more productive playmakers is an integral part of the Carolina Panthers' draft process. The quarterback should have more stable protection after Dan Morgan spent big to land Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis - two formidable interior offensive linemen - in free agency. Now, enhancing his options in the passing game becomes arguably their biggest remaining priority.

Fortunately, this is a quality class for teams looking to improve their fortunes at the wide receiver position. One could make a strong case for WR1-caliber performers being able as far down the draft as Round No. 3. Many others further down the pecking order also come with high upside attached.

The Panthers don't have a first-round pick, but it might not matter if Morgan can navigate Carolina's seven selections well. Joe Person of The Athletic even touted the possibility of turning to someone with a surname with close connections to the franchise.

Mock draft links Carolina Panthers to Luke McCaffrey

In his latest mock draft, the respected beat writer had the Panthers taking Xavier Legette in the second round after working out a trade-down with the New York Giants. This would bring an extra level of physicality to the wideout room, but Person didn't stop there. Luke McCaffrey was also chosen in the fifth round, which would be a remarkable story when one considers his brother emerged into the league's best dual-threat offensive weapons with the same organization.

"All draft picks — especially later on in Day 3 — are essentially lottery tickets. And there are worse ways to spend them than on an athletic playmaker with strong football bloodlines. McCaffrey isn’t quite as big as his dad, Ed, nor as dynamic as his older brother Christian. But he did run a slightly faster combine 40 (4.46 seconds) than Christian and had a nose for the end zone after making the switch from quarterback. McCaffrey totaled more than 1,100 scrimmage yards last year at Rice, where his 13 receiving touchdowns were tied for the sixth most among all FBS receivers."

- Joe Person, The Athletic

While McCaffrey doesn't have anything like the same reputation coming out of college as his brother Christian managed to acquire at Stanford, the bloodline runs deep. This proud tradition is something Morgan is looking to restore across the Panthers - something that was lost under previous regimes. And make no mistake, the front-office supremo won't hesitate to pull the trigger if he feels like it's the best thing for the franchise.

McCaffrey doesn't have the game-changing capabilities as those atop the draft, but he knows how to get open and boasts enough top-end speed that could be of use. His transition from the quarterback spot went much better than many anticipated, so there might be some merit to seeing if there is more untapped potential attached to the prospect.

Not every receiver is going to become an elite talent. But every team needs players with McCaffrey's skill set on their depth chart.

He'll need to find the right fit that gives him time to develop, but the Panthers could put him as a rotational piece immediately. McCaffrey also has the potential to make an impact on special teams thanks to his athleticism and football instincts.

Whether it's something Morgan contemplates is another matter.