One of the worst position groups last year for the Panthers was their offensive line. Injuries rattled the unit all year long and they could not find any consistency. Even though many analysts describe the unit as horrendous, there is reason to hope it will be better next season with the addition of a new coach and one more quality starter.

In 2019, Trai Turner played rock-solid at right guard, Taylor Moton emerged as a budding star at right tackle and the rookie Greg Little showed flashes of potential at left tackle when healthy. Center Matt Paradis was a disappointment, but part of that was due to him having to cover for repeated errors at left guard all year.

Many mock drafts have the Panthers taking a left tackle with their No. 7 overall pick. This might confuse some Carolina fans, as general manager Marty Hurney just invested the team’s second-round pick last year in Little. However, Little is a pure left tackle and does not offer much flexibility, so the best bet is to keep him there and hope he develops quick.

The position they should be most concerned about is left guard. If the Panthers can find a permanent answer there (perhaps by sliding Taylor Moton over?) it would help the entire line out tremendously. First, they’ll need to find another true right tackle, though.

Fortunately, the best offensive lineman in this year’s draft just so happens to be one. Let’s take a look at Alabama’s Jedrick Wills.

Scouting Report:
Wills stands in 6-foot-5, 320 pounds and wins with tremendous functional strength. There are many things that make Wills special on film, such as his grip strength, hand placement, footwork, and excellent leverage. His pass sets that show off his vice grips for hands and polished footwork are a dream for any offensive line coach. Once Wills throws his initial punch and gets his hands on a defender, there is no escape. Overall, he is an absolute mauler in the run game, a brick wall in pass protection and one of the top OL prospects we have seen in recent years.

Highlights:

Wills vs. LSU

Wills vs. Auburn

Wills vs. South Carolina

Fit with the Panthers:
Wills would fit right in as an immediate plug-and-play starter as a rookie. Drafting him would enable Pat Meyer to slide Moton over to left guard without sacrificing quality at the right tackle spot. In fact, Wills is so good that he might even be an upgrade over Moton Week 1.

[lawrence-related id=618322]

[vertical-gallery id=618430]