Joe Person predicts a trade back

[Jackie Lee]

 

[Jackie Lee]

 

[Jackie Lee]

Wide receivers

Ladd McConkey, Georgia

The fast but diminutive McConkey has become a Panthers’ favorite among the mock draft crowd. And for good reason: Despite fairly pedestrian numbers for the Bulldogs, McConkey is very quick in and out of his cuts and can separate, an attribute that was largely missing among the Panthers’ receivers in 2023.

Adonai Mitchell, Texas

At 6-2 and 205 pounds, Mitchell is appreciably bigger than McConkey and ran a slightly faster 40 at the combine. The two were teammates at Georgia, where Mitchell caught the go-ahead touchdown in the 2021 national championship game. Mitchell had a big season in his one-year stop at Texas, leading the Big 12 with 11 receiving touchdowns and averaging 15.4 yards a catch.

Keon Coleman, Florida State

Coleman is a long athlete who can jump. And in this age of specialization, the 6-3, 213-pounder spent parts of two seasons on Tom Izzo’s basketball team at Michigan State before concentrating on football. Coleman, whose cousin is Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb, uses his size and strength well to make contested catches, some of which were the result of lacking the elite speed to separate.

Xavier Legette, South Carolina

When we had Legette going to the Panthers at 39 in our latest mock, a lot of readers criticized the pick and essentially labeled him a clone of Jonathan Mingo, who the Panthers took 39th last year and then watched him struggle with his route running. Legette is a bigger receiver than Mingo. But he’s a more versatile player whose kick return skills should not be discounted with the NFL’s new rules.

Xavier Worthy, Texas

From a purely speed standpoint, no one can top Worthy, who set a combine record with 4.21-second clocking in the 40. But Worthy has a slight frame (5-11, 165) and could have difficulty defeating press coverage. But it’s hard to argue with his college production: He had three seasons with at least 60 receptions and finished in the top five in Longhorns’ history in receiving yards (2,755) and TD catches (26).

Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

The 5-10, 207-pound Corley played 91.6 percent of his college snaps in the slot (shoutout Brugler and “The Beast”), and has the look of a gadget-type receiver with big yards-after-catch potential rather than a traditional wideout. During his nearly 1,300-yard season in 2022, Corley led all FBS receivers in YAC and forced missed tackles.

Troy Franklin, Oregon

Franklin was Bo Nix’s favorite target in 2023 when he turned in the most prolific receiving season in Oregon history. Franklin, who boasts a nice size-speed combination, posted video-game numbers for the Ducks on the way to single-season, school records for catches (81), receiving yards (1,383), receiving TDs (14) and 100-yard games (eight).

Jalen McMillan, Washington

After a 1,000-yard season in 2022 when he pulled in 79 passes from Michael Penix Jr., McMillan’s production fell off last year due to injuries and a predominance of underneath routes. Per Brugler, 71 percent of McMillan’s catches came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. But the former baseball outfielder can go get the ball in the air when given the chance.

Brenden Rice, USC

Like McMillan, the Panthers reportedly scheduled a pre-draft visit for Rice. The son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice had a nose for the end zone (like his dad) in college, leading the Trojans with 12 receiving touchdowns last fall. But he doesn’t have top-end speed and is not an exceptional route runner. Brugler views Rice and McMillan as third- or fourth-round prospects.

Tez Walker, North Carolina

The Charlotte native had a nomadic college experience, bouncing from school to school and enduring an NCAA eligibility saga before finally being cleared to play for the Tar Heels last fall. Walker made the most of his brief time in Chapel Hill, with seven receiving TDs and a 17.0 yards-per-catch average in eight games. Walker has impressive, straight-line speed but had a total of 12 drops the past two seasons.

[Jackie Lee]

Cornerbacks

Cooper DeJean, Iowa

It feels like the Panthers haven’t had a dynamic, game-changing corner since Josh Norman. But DeJean, a member of The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List 2023, both looks and plays the part. DeJean returned three of his seven interceptions with the Hawkeyes for touchdowns and was the Big Ten’s punt returner of the year in 2023. He’s coming off a broken leg that ended his season in November.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

McKinstry practiced with the Crimson Tide’s basketball team for a few months after enrolling at Alabama in 2021 before sticking with football. Good choice. The polished cover corner led the SEC with 16 pass breakups as a sophomore and was an All-American as a junior. Brugler called McKinstry a “long, smooth athlete” with a high football IQ who reminds him of former Panthers CB James Bradberry.

Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

Lassiter, once viewed as a first-round pick, saw his stock drop after a slow (4.64) 40 time at his pro day. Lassiter didn’t get his hands on many passes as an outside corner and some teams view him as a nickel-only, per Brugler. But he has good instincts and didn’t allow more than two catches in a game all of 2023.

Max Melton, Rutgers

The 5-11, 187-pound Melton has explosive speed and a history of production, racking up eight interceptions and 30 pass breakups over his final three seasons at Rutgers. He also has a knack for making big plays on special teams: His three blocked punts in 2022 were the most in FBS.

[Jackie Lee]

After that maybe Payton Wilson, Austin Booker or a RB 

[mrcompletely11]

I cannot fathom a scenario where morgan doesnt trade 33 if there are some qbs still left on the board

[musicman]

The 33rd team newsletter predicted we traded both 2nd round picks to move to 14th in the 1st round and take TE Bowers. I do like that move. 

https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-mock-draft-marvin-harrison-jr-falls-outside-top-5/?utm_source=The+33rd+Team&utm_campaign=98c1df7ede-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_08_01_11_24_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f389c9b62a-98c1df7ede-1367542232 

[mrcompletely11]

1 minute ago, musicman said:

The 33rd team newsletter predicted we traded both 2nd round picks to move to 14th in the 1st round and take TE Bowers. I do like that move. 

https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-mock-draft-marvin-harrison-jr-falls-outside-top-5/?utm_source=The+33rd+Team&utm_campaign=98c1df7ede-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_08_01_11_24_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f389c9b62a-98c1df7ede-1367542232 

I will pretty much guarantee you that isnt going to happen

[KSpan]

Breaking news: team needs lots of talented players, may try to acquire more draft picks to do so. Story at 11.

[Billy Goat]

In his latest mock he had us trading back for an extra 5th and a second rounder next year. That doesn't exactly help with the "other positional needs".

[Jackie Lee]

5 minutes ago, Billy Goat said:

In his latest mock he had us trading back for an extra 5th and a second rounder next year. That doesn't exactly help with the "other positional needs".

It's a shame the 2025 2nd rounder is going to be on the table since we traded ours away in the Bryce deal. Hardly feels like getting something in return for trading back just to recoup on that

[CRA]

Panthers shouldn't trade down.  We should be drafting BPA at 33 and then 39 (my preference is O).  Not watering down those picks in search of more.  33 is basically a 1st rounder and we don't have ours.  Trading it to pick up a 3rd just ain't worth watering it down. 

[rayzor]

33 minutes ago, musicman said:

The 33rd team newsletter predicted we traded both 2nd round picks to move to 14th in the 1st round and take TE Bowers. I do like that move. 

https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-mock-draft-marvin-harrison-jr-falls-outside-top-5/?utm_source=The+33rd+Team&utm_campaign=98c1df7ede-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_08_01_11_24_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f389c9b62a-98c1df7ede-1367542232 

i do not like that move at all.

nothing against Bowers, but we need more playmakers. Can't see that move happening.

[top dawg]

3 minutes ago, CRA said:

Panthers shouldn't trade down.  We should be drafting BPA at 33 and then 39 (my preference is O).  Not watering down those picks in search of more.  33 is basically a 1st rounder and we don't have ours.  Trading it to pick up a 3rd just ain't worth watering it down. 

At our position, and with our positions of need, arguably there is not a lot of difference between the beginning of the second and end of the third.  Whether we trade back will depend upon who is available at the time, and what is the compensation being offered by another team. It's all about perceived and real value