The 2020 NFL draft will begin in less than 12 hours from now. It’s the busiest time of the year for us here at Panthers Wire and we can’t wait to get started getting to know the new draft class that will help lead the team into the Matt Rhule era.
Carolina is going in armed with eight draft picks this year, beginning with the No. 7 overall selection in the first round.
The last time the Panthers had a top-10 pick, they chose Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, and it’s worked out pretty well so far. McCaffrey is easily the best player at his position in the league and right or wrong he will serve as the foundation of the team’s offense for the next several years.
Who will the team select this time around?
Our final prediction for the first round of the draft – which is almost 100% certain to be wrong – is the team will trade down from No. 7 in order to begin stockpiling more capital. Then, they will take the best wide receiver on their board.
Assuming that all of the blue-chip defensive prospects are no longer available by that time (Jeff Okudah, Isaiah Simmons, Chase Young) then trading down is the right move. In fact, it has always been the smartest strategy for Carolina in this draft class. The team has far too many holes to fill to stand pat eight eight picks and expect to field a competitive roster in 2020. Also, the latest reporting suggests the team is open to moving down a few spots. If they can find a buyer, expect the Panthers to drop into the teens.
Once they’re there, we expect them to take an explosive receiver who can add to an already-potent group that includes D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel and Robby Anderson. To be clear, wide receiver isn’t a need, but first-round picks shouldn’t be about filling needs in the first place.
In an interview with reporters earlier this month, coach Rhule said sometimes you need to stick with your fastball when he was talking about choices in the draft. Right now, the team’s fastball is that wide receiver corps, which could become the most talented in the league if they add one of the top 2020 prospects.
It’s going to take time to rebuild the defense. The best way for the Panthers to compete the next couple of years is to let Joe Brady’s receivers spread out and run wild, overwhelming teams with speed and vertical threats.
So, who will it be?
Oklahomas CeeDee Lamb is the best receiver in this draft class according to most analysts. His blend of size, explosiveness and college production make him an easy choice to radically improve any receiver room in the NFL. Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy is sometimes ranked ahead of him – at worst he’s a close second. Remember, the Panthers met with Jeudy at the combine, which is a tip that they’re considering taking a receiver early.
If Lamb and Jeudy are no longer on the board, two prospects to keep an eye on are LSU’s Justin Jefferson and Baylor’s Denzel Mims, who have connections with Brady and Rhule, respectively. Jefferson could stand to play with more physicality and Mims’ drops are a concern, but both have plenty of potential to make an impact at the next level.
If the team goes in a different direction, the safest best will be to assume they are taking a cornerback. Okudah will be long gone by the time any team in the teens is on the clock, so the Panthers would have to target some second-tier names.
Florida’s CJ Henderson is the most popular prospect connected to the team right now. His tackling is less than ideal and the numbers he allowed in 2019 are a yellow flag. However, Henderson has tremendous upside and can become something special. LSU’s Kristian Fulton is another quality corner prospect who makes sense given Marty Hurney’s affinity for that school’s DBs. Alabama’s Trevon Diggs and Clemson’s A.J. Terrell are also worth considering in the middle of the first round.
We’ll see how it all plays out. Stay tuned for updates and analysis on each pick as they come in over the next three days.
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