Dane Brugler Mock Draft 1.0 (from The Athletic)

[Mr. Scot]

At #10, the Panthers take quarterback Kenny Pickett.

10. Carolina Panthers — Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh

Flash back six years ago: Pickett, then a high school junior, committed to play quarterback at Temple for head coach Matt Rhule. Pickett re-opened his recruitment once bigger programs showed interest and chose Pitt, but this time around, Rhule might decide Pickett’s next destination. To fix its hole at quarterback, Carolina has unsuccessfully tried the former first-round pick route with Teddy Bridgewater in 2020 and Sam Darnold and Cam Newton this season. Unless they lure Aaron Rodgers to Charlotte this offseason, using a first-round pick of their own on a promising quarterback like Pickett might be the Panthers’ best option.

Obviously this assumes Rhule is still head coach in Carolina (sadly a fair assumption until proven otherwise).

Pickett is the first quarterback taken in this scenario. Sam Howell goes to the Steelers at 16 and Matt Corral joins Rivera in Washington at 19.

I'd add that the Aaron Rodgers speculation seems dubious, but could be interesting if the Panthers were to dump Rhule for Nathaniel Hackett.

Other picks of interest...

DE Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) to the Lions at #1

DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) to the Texans at #2

OT Evan Neal (Alabama) to the Jaguars at #3

OT Ikem Ekwonu (NC State) to the Jets at #5

C Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) to the Giants at #7

DE Travon Walker (Georgia) to the Falcons at #11

WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State) to the Saints at #13

OT Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa) to the Raiders at #18

OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State) to the Dolphins at #21

OL Kenyon Green (Texas A&M) to the Bills at #22

DL DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M)to the Buccaneers at #28

WR Chris Olave (Ohio State) to the Patriots at #29

OL Darian Kinnard (Kentucky) to the Packers at #30

OT Daniel Faalele (Minnesota) to the Ravens at #31

[mrcompletely11]

::sigh::

[CarolinaNCSU]

OL or bust.  Trade down & take BPA on the line. 

But if Rhule is still here, prepare for him to have a hard-on for Pickett.  At this point, may have to hope he rises and we don't get the chance to draft him.  Not like we have ammo to trade up anyway unless we're sending players. 

[mrcompletely11]

Two things:

I think we will be picking a lot higher then 10.

 

Is Pickett a top 10 qb?  He had a great year, makes nfl throws but damn I just dont know.  When you pick a qb in the top 10 and he doesnt work more times than not your poo is fuged for a long long time

[joemac]

I think we all know that the draft has almost no shot at turning out like this.  QBs will go in the top 5 like they always do, and some legit offensive line talent should be available to us wherever we pick in the top 10.  

[TLGPanthersFan]

5 minutes ago, CarolinaNCSU said:

OL or bust.  Trade down & take BPA on the line. 

But if Rhule is still here, prepare for him to have a hard-on for Pickett.  At this point, may have to hope he rises and we don't get the chance to draft him.  Not like we have ammo to trade up anyway unless we're sending players. 

I have a feeling a QB will be highest needs, from the teams perspective, going into this draft. Even if some fans don’t agree with it. 
I bet they will try to get a day 2 pick but trading a player or some late round draft picks. I think the first 2 picks for us will be OL and QB or QB and OL. 
of course if Matt Rhule is gone who knows what will happen. 

[4Corners]

If they take bum ass Pickett over Howell we riot 

[Growl]

1 minute ago, stbugs said:

SMH, seems like a heavy OL early type of draft. We’ll reach for a QB this year when multiple better options were juust passed on and then we won’t have another pick until round 4 when all the good OL are already gone. 

you don’t double down on a mistake just because you’re upset about how it turned out 

the usual crowd of huddlers will spend the offseason nitpicking every QB prospect and clamoring for the “safest prospect available” and then a number of those QBs they criticized for not being a gEnErATIonAL talent will inevitably become good players

 

[Catsfan69]

F that crap.

 

Pickett???? Not before the 3rd Round.

 

That Iowa center 20 times before Pickett.

[mrcompletely11]

4 minutes ago, Growl said:

you don’t double down on a mistake just because you’re upset about how it turned out 

the usual crowd of huddlers will spend the offseason nitpicking every QB prospect and clamoring for the “safest prospect available” and then a number of those QBs they criticized for not being a gEnErATIonAL talent will inevitably become good players

 

wut?

[Fox007]

Gotta do what the Cowboys did back when they started drafting OL over luxury pick or high rate bust picks. Grab the un sexy pick and watch it pay off for 10 years.

[TheCasillas]

9 minutes ago, stbugs said:

SMH, seems like a heavy OL early type of draft. We’ll reach for a QB this year when multiple better options were juust passed on and then we won’t have another pick until round 4 when all the good OL are already gone. 

If we let Gilmore and jackson walk, we will get 2 thirds. Just something to think about , Bc you know the FO is.

[Growl]

Just now, mrcompletely11 said:

wut?

Stupid people will criticize QB prospects who inevitably become pro bowl QBs because they don’t know what they’re looking at

[mrcompletely11]

5 minutes ago, 4Corners said:

If they take bum ass Pickett over Howell we riot 

This shtick is just going to get funnier and funnier as we inch our way to April.