The last time the Carolina Panthers had the first overall pick in the draft, it was 2011, and the team took Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.
That worked out pretty well.
Now, the Panthers once again have the first overall pick after a bombshell trade with the Chicago Bears. Carolina gets that top slot, and the Bears get Carolina’s ninth and 64th picks in 2023, Carolina’s first-round pick in 2024, Carolina’s second-round pick in 2025, and receiver DJ Moore, who seemed surprised by the transaction.
😱😱
— DJ Moore💫 (@idjmoore) March 10, 2023
Clearly, the Panthers are trading up, and trading this much capital, so they don’t have to wait around to see whether they can avail themselves of a top quarterback in this class. They went 7-10 last season with Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and P.J. Walker as their quarterbacks, so the internal feeling must be that they’re only a quarterback away from contention.
And the way the NFC South stacks up right now, they may be right.
So, with this scenario played out, the Panthers are most likely looking at either Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud as their next franchise quarterback. What will the Panthers do, and what should they do, with that royal first selection?