[The Athletic] Panthers big board: Draft options at No. 8

[Icege]

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Super Bowl is still six days away, but the long run-up to the NFL Draft began in earnest last week with a pair of college all-star games — and the Carolina Panthers were well represented.

General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales led a big contingent of Panthers’ evaluators at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Texas, followed by the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Their focus was seemingly (hopefully) on defensive players following a season in which the Panthers allowed the most points in NFL history and became just the fourth team (and first since 1980) to yield 3,000 rushing yards in a season.

The Panthers have nine picks, including the eighth overall selection. The Panthers have held the No. 8 pick four times previously — more than any other first-round spot — and used it on Tim Biakabutuka, Jordan Gross, Christian McCaffrey and Jaycee Horn.

That’s a fairly strong lineup — and it’s where we’ll keep our attention in our first of three planned Panthers big boards before the April 24-26 draft. In this iteration, we’ll look at a few positions of need, targets who might be just out of reach if the Panthers stay at 8 — and offer alternatives who could fit nicely.

EDGE

• Pie in the sky: Abdul Carter (Penn State)
• Realistic options at #8: James Pearce Jr (Tennessee), Mykel Williams (Georgia), Jalon Walker (Georgia)
• Trade back options: Mike Green (Marshall), Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Nic Scourton (Texas A&M)
• Day 2 options: Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), JT Tuimoloau (Ohio State), Jack Sawyer (Ohio State), Landon Jackson (Arkansas)

DTs

• Pie in the sky: Mason Graham (Michigan)
• Realistic options at #8: Derrick Harmon (Oregon)
• Trade back options: Tyleik Williams (Ohio State), Kenneth Grant (Michigan)
• Day 2 options: Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), Alfred Collins (Texas), Darius Alexander (Toledo)

Safeties

• Pie in the sky: None
• Realistic options at #8: Malaki Starks (Georgia)
• Trade back options: Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
• Day 2 options: Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)

WRs

• Pie in the sky: Travis Hunter (Colorado)
• Realistic options at #8: Tetrairoa McMillan (Arizona)
• Trade back options: Luther Burden (Missouri), Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
• Day 2 options: Matthew Golden (Texas), Tre Harris (Ole Miss)

Edited February 4 by Icege
Forgot the subject

[mrcompletely11]

Trade back and still get walker would be a dream scenario

[MHS831]

we could have written this--fluff. That time of year, I suppose

[1989]

Man, really feeling like trading back would be amazing. A lot of depth in our areas of need.

[Candler Cat]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

we could have written this--fluff. That time of year, I suppose

it's all fluff until draft day

[PNW_PantherMan]

My ideal trade back scenario is getting a pass rusher and Emeka Egbuka

[Martin]

2 hours ago, MHS831 said:

we could have written this--fluff. That time of year, I suppose

I thought it was a nice overview, especially for people not as close to college football or message board draft discussions.

[NAS]

Give me Jalon Walker and Jack Sawyer in first two rounds and I'm happy 

[TheSpecialJuan]

6 hours ago, Icege said:

Link to article

EDGE

• Pie in the sky: Abdul Carter (Penn State)
• Realistic options at #8: James Pearce Jr (Tennessee), Mykel Williams (Georgia), Jalon Walker (Georgia)
• Trade back options: Mike Green (Marshall), Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Nic Scourton (Texas A&M)
• Day 2 options: Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), JT Tuimoloau (Ohio State), Jack Sawyer (Ohio State), Landon Jackson (Arkansas)

DTs

• Pie in the sky: Mason Graham (Michigan)
• Realistic options at #8: Derrick Harmon (Oregon)
• Trade back options: Tyleik Williams (Ohio State), Kenneth Grant (Michigan)
• Day 2 options: Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), Alfred Collins (Texas), Darius Alexander (Toledo)

Safeties

• Pie in the sky: None
• Realistic options at #8: Malaki Starks (Georgia)
• Trade back options: Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
• Day 2 options: Xavier Watts (Notre Dame)

WRs

• Pie in the sky: Travis Hunter (Colorado)
• Realistic options at #8: Tetrairoa McMillan (Arizona)
• Trade back options: Luther Burden (Missouri), Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State)
• Day 2 options: Matthew Golden (Texas), Tre Harris (Ole Miss)

Another lazy piece by Joe Person 

[Waldo]

I am completely not interested in looking at WRs or Safeties before the forst 2 rounds.

Starting to feel like a trade back might be this year's empty wish. Who would be on  the board worth trading up for? Also thinking DT would be more impactfull than any pass rush specialist...even if it's a big need.

[MHS831]

4 hours ago, Candler Cat said:

it's all fluff until draft day

sure is--

[tukafan21]

lol, didn't remember that Biakabutuka was the 8th pick for us (for some reason if you asked me before, I always thought he wast eh 6th pick in the draft).

Would be perfect symmetry for me for us to have drafted my favorite player from my favorite school growing up in Biakabutuka, to now draft the best player from the school I graduated from with T-Mac all these years later.

Edited February 4 by tukafan21

[Growl]

I don’t think Graham is this insane pie in the sky tier so many make him out to be. 
 

He’s a primarily run defense oriented inside guy and those guys don’t tend to go top 5, even after we spend all offseason hearing how can’t miss they are.

 

Star, DB, Jalen Carter. They’ve all been talked about the same way and they’ve all slipped-right about to our range-as teams opt for pass rushers and pass defenders.

this seems like it’s grading Walter Nolen too low as well, he’s crept above Graham in a number of high profile mocks because he’s an interior pass disruptor. 

[Swaggasaurus]

I never want to see Shemar Stewart’s name associated to us again  The dude has like 3 careers sacks. Maybe he develops into Al Wallace after his 3rd year, but he’s shown nothing to be a first round pick.