Panthers coach Matt Rhule is entering his very first NFL draft.
While general manager Marty Hurney is still calling the shots, his contract is up after this draft. Meanwhile, Rhule will be under contract for the next seven years. Given those circumstances, it’s unthinkable that Rhule won’t have a significant say in who the team picks this year.
Watch Rhule talk about the 2020 draft class with new team reporter Kristen Balboni.
Coach Rhule talks about his first #NFLDraft as head coach and all potential possibilities 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UslatWdtfQ
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 23, 2020
This is mostly a lot of vague coachspeak – a language Rhule is fluent in. We don’t know how he will coach at this level but it’s clear he’s sharp enough not to give away anything meaningful in an interview on a day like this. Another thing we know is that Rhule loves players who previously worked with him. The team has already signed five former Temple players.
As it happens, this draft class features a number of prospects who have connections with either Rhule or offensive coordinator Joe Brady. From Baylor, the top names to watch for are wide receiver Denzel Mims and defensive lineman James Lynch.
As for Brady, LSU has a bunch of pro-ready prospects in 2020.
On offense, wide receiver Justin Jefferson, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and interior offensive linemen Damien Lewis and Lloyd Cushenberry all make sense for Carolina to target at different points of the draft. Defensively, there’s several studs worth considering. Cornerback Kristian Fulton, defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson and defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence could all fill big needs.
There’s just six hours to go.
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