Bear Hands

Yeah can't fill every hole but wanted to throw the Latu idea out there. Think 2 DBs could be important, especially for Evero's defense. It's hard to fill every hole. I just don't trust Taylor & Henderson coming in with Jackson & Horn's injury history. I know we picked up Rowe who can play NB, but he hasn't been that special. Feel like we need speed and an added punch. I also just love Ward and wanted to give him a shout. Oh & the trade I mocked was 39 & 93 for 48, 81, & 151. I think it maintains prospect value w/that 2nd rounder but moves us up 12 in the 3rd and nets an additional pick. No problem staying put, I'd probably lean Brents even at 39. Just think he's got it.

And now..the CAR Draft: R1-#1: Bryce Young QB Alabama This just seems like it’s happening to me. New franchise QB in the house. R2 #48 (from DET): Julius Brents DB Kansas State He is one of the athletic outliers that guys like Dugger & Chinn have been in previous classes that’s upside is too good to ignore. One of my favorite prospects. When he’s given glimpses of his potential, it is really special. Honestly, I’m fine staying at 39 and landing him. R3 #81 (from DET): Rashee Rice WR SMU If we’re able to push up a bit, I’d prefer one of the big WRs like Tillman, Hutchinson, Rice or Mingo. Mingo & Tillman may not last but Rice reminds me of an Aiyuk meets Godwin. He can play outside as an X or work as a Z in the slot. Gets separation, is physical, just needs to get coached up on route running. R4-1 #114: KJ Henry OLB/EDGE Clemson This is a guy I feel we’ve quietly been high on. There’s a really nice tier in this range of Byron Young, Isaiah McGuire, Henry, Hampton, it’s really solid. And Henry has some of the higher upside of the bunch. R4-2 #132: Jay Ward CB/S LSU Doubling down on the secondary. I simply don’t trust Henderson & Taylor with Horn & Jackson’s injury history. Ward has been overlooked and was a huge part of the LSU defense. Great length, loved by his teammates, hard-nosed, locker room presence and great abilities on-field to show for. From what Reich describes, Ward fits his bill as a player in more than a few ways. R5-1: Israel Abanikanda RB Pitt Unsure if he lasts but this is my RB target. This is a dude I like a lot for a RB committee. He’s not taking over as a main back so may slip a tad, but his speed & quickness combined with a no-nonsense, hit-the-hole style is ridiculous & could be a great piece for our team. We simply need a home run threat on offense. I view it as a gaping hole. Here’s the burner. R5-2 (from DET): Braeden Daniels T/G Utah I wouldn’t overlook the need for OL depth. Daniels could be a nice get. He can play guard but also be a potential future RT behind Moton. This type of pick you can’t bank too much on but you can find guards/swing-tackles around here. -If we finagle another late rounder somehow to gain a 6th: Late R6: Cameron Latu TE Alabama Bring in a familiar face for Bryce that has the potential to grow as a TE here.

Hey all-- I've been slowly working on this so it's not some quick thing I've thrown together. It's my Panthers analysis & predictive NFL mock based on other team's intel, boards, rumors, needs, the whole shebang. Why? I honestly don't know, I'm a draft nerd it seems. My fiance has been wondering what the hell I've been working on while "watching" LiB (clearly not wedding planning haha): First off, let’s talk about the Panthers... We have 6 selections: Pick 1(1), 39(2), 93(3), 114(4), 132(4), & 145(5) That’s nearly 1 ½ rounds between our 2nd and 3rd picks, 54 slots. I simply don’t see Fitterer being comfortable watching countless prospects we’ve been looking at drop off the board waiting 54 picks to go again. I’m talking guys that could get early playing time i.e. Julius Brents DB, Steven Avila OG, Jonathan Mingo WR, Tyler Scott WR, Zach Charbonnet RB, Sam LaPorta TE, Dorian Williams LB, lots of prospects we’ve met with for visits that fit in that potential gap. And I’m sure there’s more they quite like. Now, am I saying let’s be impatient and trade down a ton? Absolutely not. Trade up from 93? Possibly, but there's little ammo. I think a likely scenario we’ve all discussed is the slight trade down to gain a higher top-100 pick than 93. I’d rather gain an impact add than accruing a bunch of late rounders at this point. That being said, this is all dependent on who is available come 39. So then, who are the players that I deem unpassable, too high of value to trade down if there? There’s a handful, but not a ton: 3 TEs: Dalton Kincaid/Sam LaPorta/Michael Mayer 2 EDGE: Will McDonald IV Iowa State, Tuli USC, BJ Ojulari LSU 3 WR: Jordan Addison USC, Zay Flowers BC 1 RB: Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama With that being said, I can see both directions happening. It comes down to these teams in the 20s-early 30s and who they covet. My instinct is it will in fact be EDGE, TE, & WR. So it’s really close to call. So, here’s my mock, trying my best to put myself in each team’s shoes, scoping their intel, boards, & rumors for who makes sense: NFL Mock Draft The Trades: 1) IND receives #3, #105 | AZ receives #4, #34, 2024 3rd & late rd 2) HOU receives #8 | ATL receives #12, #33+24’ R4 3) DET receives #39, #93(3) | CAR receives #48, 81(3), 151(5) 4) GB receives #42, 2024 1st, Conditional 2025 pick | NYJ receive Aaron Rodgers The Draft: ROUND 1 CAR - Bryce Young QB Alabama I am officially going all in on the Bryce Young chatter. He is the guy, it is not smoke. Write in the pick and let’s go. HOU - Will Anderson Jr. DE Alabama Yep, I’m buying the no-QB rumors. No CJ or even Richardson. You’re at #2 overall, take the best player if you’re not sold on the passers. If they’re not over the moon, they’ll have no problem letting CJ fall to their division rival & shuffling QBs down the board.. IND (from AZ) - CJ Stroud QB Ohio State With Houston passing on Stroud, the Colts see their opportunity to land the other QB you could start day 1. The incentive for a 3-4 swap is that AZ still gets their top choice at 4 because they’re obviously not going QB. Just assures IND there's no other traders swooping in. I just don't see AR fitting. AZ (from IND) - Tyree Wilson DT/DE Texas Tech They need to rebuild the DL and it can start with Wilson. Top PR win rate to show for and has a ton of upside with his lean yet huge athletic size. They have a ways to go roster retooling wise, but this is a start. SEA - Anthony Richardson QB Florida This is the fit that I’ve just seen for a while and it just makes sense. They’re here because of the Wilson trade and don’t see picking high for a bit with their capital this year. Landing Richardson with his upside would be perfect for them behind Geno. It’s time to take a big swing in Seattle. I think Carrol wants to. DET- Devon Witherspoon CB Illinois Can totally see this happening with his buddy Kirby already in house and the Lions well represented at his impressive pro-day, I think DW at 6 is a real possibility. The top CBs are viewed higher than perceived. LVR - Christian Gonzalez CB Oregon Fills a big need and he’s a great dude. They need to make strides on defense with a leader in the secondary. I don’t see them pouncing on Levis. Could see them trade up w/AZ in this scenario but IND gets the edge. HOU (from ATL) - Will Levis QB Kentucky With Vegas passing on Levis, HOU has their sights on a QB & trades up from 12 to jump TEN and other potential trade partners. CHI - Jalen Carter DT Georgia They’ve had a busy offseason and decide to take the gamble with Carter. This is the furthest I see him falling unless there are bigger flags being uncovered in meetings. They take him over the offensive tackles. PHI - Nolan Smith OLB Georgia I see this fit as one that just makes a lot of sense to me. Seems like he could really compliment their defense well and they can use him all over the place. Eagles won’t be this high often so I don’t think a trade down makes sense, take a top talent. TEN - Paris Johnson Jr. LT Ohio State With QBs off the board, many holes, and limited capital, the Titans grab a top tackle, arguably their biggest need. He’s the top tackle prospect for many, makes perfect sense. ATL (from HOU) - Bijan Robinson RB Texas I could honestly see this happening even if they stay at 8. Bijan keeps them on pace in the division with new offenses getting established in CAR & NO. NYJ - Darnell Wright OT Tennessee A big need for the Jets. I see a decent OL drop after R1 so they jump on one of the last higher end LT prospects available. They won’t let Wright fall to the Patriots who I think is the top tackle in the class. NE - Peter Skoronski LT Northwestern NE also has a big need at tackle, they stay put, and fill it with Skoronski. GB - Myles Murphy DT/DE Clemson Green Bay passes on WRs to land a top pass rusher who falls a tad. People keep wanting to give them weapons, but WRs meeting their criteria are limited in this draft. WAS - Dalton Kincaid TE Utah Porter seems like the default pick here so frequently, that I’m convinced it won’t happen. If they are truly committed to Howell, they’ve got some good young WRs, RBs, so round it out and get the highest upside TE to compliment. PIT - Broderick Jones OT Georgia PIT could trade up to secure a tackle with their capital, but stay put and land a big bodied Jones to help with their line. Left tackle is a big need and they’re done messing around. Dan Moore looked like the late rounder he is in 22’. DET - Lukas Van Ness DE/EDGE Iowa A draft of Witherspoon & Van Ness would be incredible for this defense. TB - Calijah Kancey DE Pittsburgh A run on pass rusher continues. Big need & great fit from what I see. SEA - Joey Porter Jr. CB Penn State I think this would be a pretty awesome pickup for Seattle. AR & Porter would be a pretty sweet get R1 for them. Fans want the hyper-athletic outlier defenders, but I can see them going a far different route this year. This is the big prototype SEA outside corner. LAC - Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR Ohio State From my view, he is exactly what Herbert needs to get this offense to the next level. Would fit in well and help out immediately. WR1=off the board. BAL - Deonte Banks CB Maryland I’m not so sure they’re locked in on a WR. Banks stays in state and lands with the Ravens. This move fills a decent need and he goes to a team that sounds interested. MIN - Brian Branch S/N Alabama They’ve brought him in for a visit. Seems like a Flores type of guy and they need to bolster their secondary. Not sold on the Hooker idea everyone floats around. This is where the first tier starts to drop on defense--they land a leader. JAX - O’Cyrus Torrence OG Florida It’s time to protect Trevor and they keep it local with a big body. Fills a need but is also a prospect that really matches well. Etienne & Trevor will no doubt approve. NYG - Jordan Addison WR USC I think this could work out quite nicely for the Giants. Reminds me of Diggs, and I think Schoen/Daboll have taken notice. DAL - Darnell Washington TE Georgia Dak has never had a target like this. High upside to pair with Pollard & Lamb. Could be a bit high, but I can see a team gamble on the big man. BUF - Zay Flowers WR Boston College This is a fun pick that would really get this offense going. He’s what they’ve been looking for in guys like Beasley and McKenzie. Get a young shifty slot guy that can also play outside. Do it all and open the field right up for this offense. CIN - Jahmyr Gibbs RB Alabama A TE or DB is the popular choice but if Gibbs is available here, he’d be hard to pass on. Mixon’s future is looking iffy and Burrow could thrive even more with a pass-catching RB & this receiving room. NO - Michael Mayer TE Notre Dame This would be an interesting fit. Giving Carr a much needed weapon to complement Olave would be big. Thomas and Kamara are wildcards and they need a stabilizing force. Continues the transformation of NO’s offense. PHI - Ade Adebawore DE NWD They stay patient at 30 and land a great fit on defense. Roseman is apparently all about him and I can definitely see this happening. KC - Will McDonald IV EDGE Iowa State They’re in need of pass rushers and I’m fairly convinced they’re going after one here over WR. There will be more than a few to choose from. There’s great upside with Will. ROUND 2: PIT - Drew Sanders LB Arkansas This one just kind of fits for me. Not the first to think so. ATL (from HOU) - Josh Downs WR UNC They shoot for a WR with their new star RB in place. Giving Ridder legit weapons on offense is key to see what he’s got. And yep, Downs over Johnston & Hyatt. He'd go well with London & Pitts. AZ - Quentin Johnston WR TCU I can see them going OL but they do need a bit of everything right now for Kyler. They give him a fancy weapon to help out with this fluttering team. AZ (from IND) - Tuli Tuipulotu OLB/EDGE USC Arizona decides to keep bolstering their front-7 for Gannon’s defense. Tuli is way under the radar but his strength & grit is legit. LAR - BJ Ojulari EDGE LSU 1st pick for them–Need to hit with this and can see them making a move for a high upside DL. A Hooker trade up is not out of the cards, but I think Jake Haener is a perfect target for them R3-4. SEA - John Michael Schmitz C Minnesota I like this fit a lot. Big need. Apparently there has been heavy interest on SEA’s part. LVR - Hendon Hooker QB Tennessee They follow up their patient but nice CB selection with a QB in R2. Could see this in a trade up but they stay put here. DET (from CAR) - Jack Campbell LB Iowa DET gets aggressive to land a leader at ILB to bring this defense to the next level after boosting their DL and secondary earlier. Big move with a thin LB class, filling a need with a pure football talent. NO - Mazi Smith DT Michigan Fills a need, they’ve met with him and word is there is real interest. See this as a strong fit. They need to bolster their IDL. TEN - Jalin Hyatt WR TEN Vrabel sounds to be in charge and after going OL, they decide to shoot for a deep threat to pair with Burks. Hyatt stays in state to help out Tannehill for his last hoorah. GB (from NYJ) - Luke Musgrave TE Oregon State Love needs a bit of help outside of the RBs, Doubs & Watson. A young QBs best friend can be a receiving TE. Historically, TEs take time to make an impact, but Musgrave has a lot of potential. NYJ - Trenton Simpson LB Clemson Robert Saleh wants his Fred Warner type in New York and Simpson would provide that and then some. You can play him all over the place. ATL - Keion White DE/EDGE Georgia Tech Pass Rusher has been the perpetual need for ATL for a decade-plus. Time to invest. Local kid. GB - Bryan Bresee DT Clemson GB turns around and grabs a much needed dude on the DL that has to land somewhere. Don’t see a dramatic fall for him as some predict. NE - Sam LaPorta TE Iowa NE grabs an all-around TE that adds a bit more stabilization than their recent FAs at the spot. A proven midwestern TE program’s top weapon that can block. WAS - Kelee Ringo CB UGA Rivera gets himself a much needed corner for their defense. Campbell could’ve been a target if the Lions didn’t trade up. CAR (from DET) - Julius Brents DB Kansas State Brents is too damn appealing to pass on. Elite ceiling as a prospect. I believe teams are way high on him. The length, athleticism, flexibility to play outside or nickel (big for Evero) is awesome. Huge impact player and leader for KSU. I can see him even if they stay at 39. PHI (from PIT) - Emmanuel Forbes CB Miss State I think Forbes (Turner and also Ringo) are being overlooked because of their size, but their skills are undeniable. He wouldn’t get thrust in immediately but would have a chance to play (& quickly). TB - Anton Harrison OT Oklahoma Tackle is a big need and if they miss out in R1, can see this as a viable follow up pick. MIA - Daiyan Henley LB WSU First pick for Miami & they need a man in the middle on defense (among many other things). OL, RB, & TE are legit needs but Henley could bring a lot to the table. SEA - Keeanu Benton IDL Wisconsin NT/DT is a need for them and if they take the gamble with Richardson, they look towards the DL round 2. CHI - Dawand Jones OT Ohio State They take a decent tackle prospect after landing Carter R1 LAC - DJ Turner CB Michigan Chargers swoop in and take a swing on Turner to help their DBs. He’s a great talent, there’s a big range of where I can see him land. DET - Zach Charbonnet RB UCLA This would be a really fun choice after Detroit goes heavy defense to start the draft. Brings what Jamaal Williams did, but with fresh legs. JAX - Felix Anudike-Uzomah EDGE Kansas State They’re in need of additional pass rushers and Felix could be a solid add to their front. A bit of work needed but he has a ton of potential. NYG - Steven Avila C/G TCU Interior OL needs a bit of improvement, particularly center. They continue to help out Jones. DAL - Dorian Williams LB Tulane Time for a fresh defensive leader in the house. A LB is needed and following up a nice weapon like Washington with Williams would seem like a successful scenario. I think this guy is liked way more than people realize. BUF - Cody Mauch OT NDSU They really need a potential upgrade at RT. The playoffs showed that much. Mauch makes a lot of sense for Buffalo. CIN - Antonio Johnson S Texas A&M Safety is a pretty obvious need but I don’t see them needing to force it R1. This would be a great get for Cincy. CHI - Joe Tippman IOL Wisconsin Bears have reportedly been scouting him pretty strongly. It’s a need and he doesn’t have to move very far. Heads from Madison to Chicago. PHI - Tyjae Spears RB Tulane Spears is a stud & he lands in a perfect spot. Penny is not a for sure thing and they do like having a capable RB room. Fits their mold and could honestly become their main guy sooner than later with Penny’s injury history. KC - Jonathan Mingo WR Ole Miss They don’t have much going on at WR and Mingo gives Mahomes a guy with size. A welcomed asset & can honestly start for them. Notable Unselected: Tyler Scott WR, Jordan Battle S Alabama, Gervon Dexter Jr. DT Florida, Isaiah Foskey OLB/DE, Siaki Ika NT Baylor, Tyrique Stevenson CB Miami, Rashee Rice WR SMU, Clark Phillips CB Utah, K, Tank Dell WR Houston, Cam Smith CB USC Other Prospect Fits I Like: Tyler Scott WR Cincinnati - Panthers! Jake Haener QB Fresno State - LA Rams, R3 Michael Wilson WR Stanford - GB Packers, R3-4 Jayden Reed WR Michigan State - KC Chiefs, R3-4 DeWayne McBride RB UAB - Bills, R4

lol true

How on earth did you not include Sam Howell's Commanders on this list? Cards, Commanders, & Titans would be my picks

Brents could VERY well be the guy at 39. You typically don't see such discipline in fundementals for a guy with his length, size, & athleticism. With Horn & Jackson's injury history, we need a guy capable outside, not one of these shorter DBs. Brents all day

Yeah he's a bit of a mixed bag. Could end up later in the 2nd, possibly closer to Tyler Scott than Josh Downs. There's always a handful of those types in either direction. Guys viewed less favorably by FOs v. media and vice versa. Those surprises end up in that late R1 to R2 range. Some of my guesses: Will McDonald, Steve Avila, Tyler Scott, & Dorian Williams go higher than media projected Jalin Hyatt, Cam Smith, & Quentin Johnston may drop considerably compared to projections

Notable, he has us taking Ojulari over: Jalin Hyatt WR Darnell Washington TE Josh Downs WR Steve Avila G

I wouldn't want to get multiple late rounders but the type of move that would seem worth it is with a team like DET or GB who have mid-3rds to package with a slight trade down in R2. There's a nice tier in R2 that's fringe 1st rounder grades (at least for me) that drops right around 50. So if we feel we get a guy with the same value in a trade down, do it, but not for stuff like late 4ths and beyond. Getting an extra pick before 93 without dropping too for would be my ultimate objective if I'm Fit. Maintain a mid-2nd or above, gain a 3rd. Puts us more in range for some guys that could really help us on both sides of the ball. Felix EDGE, Benton IDL, Scott WR, Mingo WR, Charbonnet RB, LaPorta TE, Henley LB, Dorian Williams LB, Spears RB, etc.

If rumor is true Houston likes Levis, might as well get Anderson and trade up (or) stay put at 12 for him.

Nice! Great to see he's been able to stay on active squads since he left. Not expecting anything much but a good baseline WR to have as depth if he makes the 53.

He knows Addison is what's up. 3-level route runner, all around, highest ceiling in the draft. Diggs meets Cruz. If he last until late 20s, 30s, I would fully support getting aggressive for JA. Long shot, but man, Bryce & Addison could be legit.

I like this staff. Seem like very grounded, high IQ, hard-nosed football dudes. High hopes Thomas Brown blooms here.

I can see them taking Bijan, which in that case, they'll be a nuisance. But nothing we can't handle.

He's accurate. Also called protections pre-snap in a progression pass system. Was asked to do a lot presnap & not reliant on any of that trendy RPO stuff. You're right w/the assumption re: athleticism & arm though, and it's why he's not a high end prospect. Simple as that. Was told at his pro-day to expect to be a 3rd-5th which checks. Can see him being a totally viable backup in the league that could turn into a starter. If anyone watched that UCLA upset of his, he's a dog. The kid just grinds for it. I see a bit of Heinicke meets safer-with-the-ball-Fitzmagic in him. Just needs to keep bulking up. More relevant--Moreno-Cropper was his main target who I could see being a later round target for us. Solid receiver.

I am a long time Haener stan but gotta be honest--his arm leaves a bit to be desired strength wise. If Levis/AR are 95+, Bryce/CJ 90+, he's more like an 85. I'd classify him well higher than a Cassel/Pennington. He's just not a Round 1 level arm talent, then mix in a frame concern similar to Bryce. Really has everything else IMO. His game is awesome, has a sense of layering throws, pocket work, pre-snap reads, crunch time work, & accuracy down more than most R1 level guys.

I agree and he showed as much in the pocket in school. A casual observation for me but I think he stands in the pocket taller than Kyler (and is much less jittery with his game). I'm more confident than not he'll dart passes just fine.

I like that Braeden Daniels kid out of Utah. Could play T and G. Good swing depth, future starter type. Plays LG, LT & RT. Only allowed 5 sacks on 1,400 pass blocking snaps in school. That's pretty nice. Leaner, good bend, athleticism, but powerful enough. 6'4, a hair under 300

Quite an influx of intoxicated belligerence this week haha. Nice thread, good focus on some prospects no one is considering, which tends to be the guys we end up drafting quite often.

An interesting wrinkle to the non-QBs in this draft is that the guy who read & called Caleb's offense to a tee, racked up 15+ tackles, and led his defense to a huge win over USC could be there at 93. Not to mention the RB who helped that offense go toe to toe with USC. Dorian Williams LB & Tyjae Spears RB

Add Kraft & Whyle to that list as well.

That would be in a trade up. Bijan is going much higher than people think...and it could be in our division.

Notably has a top-30 with Dallas & Detroit as well--also probably 12+ other squads. Could see him going to DAL round 1.

I can't tell if we're just enjoying chirping false info out to fluster other teams or if reporters are just this desperate for news bc we're not a leaky machine we were under Rhule.