All Panthers picks are projections. The draft order is not yet confirmed and is subject to change based on end-of-year standings.

Round 1, Pick 7

Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss .

Ideally, the Panthers would trade this pick in order to gain more draft capital. If they decide to stay put, they could go several different directions. One option is to select Sam Darnold’s eventual replacement, which they do here. Another would be to beef up their offensive line and take the best lineman available.

The 6’1, 205 pound redshirt junior quickly earned national recognition under the tutelage of Lane Kiffin. His most “pro-ready” ability is his arm talent; Corral can make any deep throw a team could need. He is a gunslinger who can throw from several arm angles and while on the move. He has above-average velocity on his throws, as well. But with any trigger-happy gunslinger comes the potential for turnovers, to which Corral is not prone. For example, in 2020 he set the Ole Miss single-game touchdown record against Vanderbilt, where he threw for six TDs. However, he threw 6 interceptions against Arkansas and 5 interceptions against LSU that same year. In 2021, he limited his interception total and only threw 4 picks.

Bottom Line: Corral has NFL-ready arm talent, but that can only take you so far. Mike Glennon has arm talent, after all. While I believe no QB in this draft class is worth a 1st round pick, sometimes necessity and urgency trumps logic and patience. Carolina takes a big gamble here.

Rounds 2 & 3

-Panthers traded away both their second and third round picks when acquiring QB Sam Darnold and CB C.J. Henderson via trade.

Bottom Line: Maybe trading away high draft picks during a rebuild isn’t such a great idea?

Round 4 (from Texans)

Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming

The Panthers sorely miss having Luke Kuechly leading their defense. His early retirement left large shoes to fill. Here they draft a player who has potential as a three-down, classic middle linebacker. Muma is 6’3, 242 pounds and has put together a nice collegiate career at Wyoming. In his senior season he recorded 103 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1 sack, and 3 interceptions (2 returned for a touchdown).

Bottom Line: sometimes mid-round picks become NFL-caliber starters. Sometimes they become career-long special team players (no shame in that!). Sometimes they are out of the league after a couple seasons. Muma at least offers the potential to become a solid NFL starter for the Panthers.

Round 5 (from Jaguars)

Jeffery Gunter, Edge, Coastal Carolina

Selecting a local talent, the Panthers stash Gunter and let him develop behind Pro Bowl edge rusher Brian Burns. The 6’4, 260 pounds OLB/DE hybrid offers versatility at the position. He has great explosiveness off the ball and a solid bull-rush. If he can add speed and two or three more pass rush moves, he could be a steal.

Bottom Line: Gunter has good size to play a hybrid role, but he lacks the game speed to chase down plays. He’s agile laterally, but lacks bendiness and body control off the edge. He is a developmental project with decent upside.

Round 5

Yusuf Corker, Safety, Kentucky

The 6’0, 197 pound Corker uses his size well. He has often been one of the best players on Kentucky’s defense since stepping foot on the field. He compiled nearly 90 tackles in the 2021 season.

Bottom Line: Corker may not be elite in any one area but he projects as a solid-to-high-end depth piece and potential starter. He should offer value on special teams, where he will likely spend time on at the beginning of his career. Consider him an exciting sleeper pick in the draft.

Round 6 (from Raiders)

Matt Bedford, OG, Indiana

The 6’6, 310 pound Bedford was an honorable-mention for All-Big Ten in 2021. He proved his durability by starting every game this season and proved his versatility by playing at three different positions. He made eight starts at right guard, three at left guard, and one at right tackle

Bottom Line: He offers versatility as a depth piece behind a shaky and oft-injured Carolina offensive line.

Round 7 (from Titans)

Emeka Emezie, WR, NC State

The 6’3, 210 pound redshirt senior brings the physical elements similar to D.K Metcalf. He is strong and has a great frame for making contested catches. Emezie has a competitive mentality refuses to get outworked on the field. Despite lacking any elite dynamic traits, he is a consistent model of a WR and is difficult to bring down after the catch.

Bottom Line: Emezie should be able to carve out a WR2 or 3 role with any NFL team. It may take a couple years to flesh out the rest of his game, but I believe he has what it takes to have a successful NFL career.

Thank you for reading.

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