Is the Carolina Panthers’ long nightmare finally over? (No, not the quarterback one. The other one.) According to ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay, it could be by Thursday night.
Since the retirement of franchise great Jordan Gross following the 2013 season, the Panthers have started 16 different men at the most important spot on the offensive line—left tackle. But based off what McShay has been hearing around the league in the lead-up to the 2022 draft’s first round, Carolina is seemingly zeroing in on a permanent solution to that leaky problem:
“All signs are pointing toward the Panthers going with an offensive tackle at No. 6. Quarterback is a long shot here, save for a trade down the board (which would be something to watch for, considering Carolina doesn’t have a second- or third-round pick). And like the Giants, the Panthers are extremely high on Cross — though again, I can’t confirm he is the team’s top tackle. It’s possible Cross comes off the board before Alabama’s Evan Neal.”
McShay noted the same, in regards to Cross, on Saturday. The longtime draft guru tweeted that the Panthers had been connected to the Mississippi State University standout of late.
Other options at the spot include, of course, Neal and North Carolina State University’s Ikem Ekwonu. But if this is all actually just smoke to throw teams off their scent, then Carolina may opt for a quarterback of the future—perhaps Liberty University’s Malik Willis or University of Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett.
So, is this supposedly pointed interest in hog mollies just hogwash? We’ll soon find out.
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