Panthers 2020 mock draft: The Senior Bowl edition

So, we came up with a new mock where we were limited to only players taking part in the Senior Bowl. Here is how the Panthers made out.

The Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama (Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET) is the true beginning of the NFL draft season and a time when more accurate mock drafts are starting to take shape.

So, we came up with a new mock where we were limited to only players taking part in the Senior Bowl. Here is how the Panthers made out.

7. Javon Kinlaw: DT, South Carolina

While Derrick Brown seems to be the consensus favorite among defensive tackles, he is not in Mobile and is therefore ineligible for this particular exercise. Fortunately, Kinlaw is available and there is no question he’ll make an instant impact for whichever team drafts him. He was so dominant early this week that he sat out after only a couple days of practice, having already proved himself. Kinlaw is easily the top player in Mobile and is working his way up to a potential top-10 selection.

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Panthers 7-round 2020 mock draft version 2.0: Pick locally

In addition to attempting to fill the void left behind by Kuechly with the first pick, we chose local prospects whenever it was reasonable to do so.

The Panthers have about as many roster holes to fill this offseason as any team in the league. There’s a lot of time between now and the start of next season, but generally the best place to start building is the NFL draft.

In our first seven-round mock of the year, we had Carolina pick Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown at No. 7 overall. A lot has changed since then, including the sudden retirement of All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly. With that in mind, we took a different approach to this mock. In addition to attempting to fill the void left behind by Kuechly with the first pick, we chose local prospects whenever it was reasonable to do so.

For the sake of this scenario, we assumed the Panthers will be keeping Cam Newton at least another year, hence no QB pick. Here’s how it played out.

No. 7: Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons

It was difficult picking between Simmons and Brown here. In the end, we went with Simmons because of his versatility. That’s often an oversold trait for college prospects. In Simmons’ case, he’s the real deal. Like Tyrann Mathieu, Simmons (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) can line up at a number of different positions, including safety or in the slot. He also loaded up the stat sheet at Clemson, totaling four interceptions, 11 sacks, six forced fumbles, 20 pass breakups and 28.5 tackles for a loss. That flexibility will make him more valuable than a defensive lineman, even a very good one like Brown.

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Panthers 2020 NFL mock draft: 7-round New Year edition

Here is our first seven-round Panthers mock draft to ring in the New Year.

Let’s start 2020 off right, shall we?

Here is our first seven-round Panthers mock draft to ring in the New Year.

7. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

The Panthers need more youth and aggressiveness up front and Derrick Brown is the best option in this draft class to replace Dontari Poe by far. Unfortunately, Brown will not be at the Senior Bowl but he’s a special athlete for his size and should perform very well at the Combine. Putting Brown next to Kawann Short would give Carolina a strong starting interior combo for years to come.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Panthers pick Ohio State CB at No. 8 overall

The Panthers need to find more help at cornerback as much as any position this offseason.

The Panthers need to find more help at cornerback as much as any position this offseason. There are a few interesting pending free agents like Marcus Peters and Chris Harris, but the draft is usually the best place to find talent.

In a new two-round Christmas mock draft, Luke Easterling at Draft Wire has Carolina picking Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 8 overall.

“The Panthers continue to climb the draft board after losing seven straight games, but they may just get this year’s best corner for their trouble. With James Bradberry heading into free agency this offseason, getting a polished playmaker like Okudah to replace him would be a fantastic scenario.”

The Panthers should do their best to keep Bradberry in the fold with an extension. Even if they don’t, drafting another cornerback is an absolute necessity. Donte Jackson has shown promise at times since he was a second-round pick in 2018, but his consistency has become a serious concern. He was benched last week in favor of Ross Cockrell and Perry Fewell seems inclined to do so again Week 17.

Jackson needs more time to develop and the Panthers don’t have a ton of depth to go around, so adding a defender like Okudah makes a lot of sense. Let’s take a look at the film.

Okudah vs. Michigan State

Okudah vs. Indiana

Okudah vs. Washington

Okudah (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) is considered the top corner in his class. In 34 career games with the Buckeyes, he’s posted 16 pass breakups and three interceptions.

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