[2023] Carolina Panthers Draft Recap

[Jambo]

Charlotte, NC --

The Carolina Panthers cashed in their first rebuild chips at this year's NFL Draft, selecting 8 players, including three with a rating of at least A- overall, and 4 first-round picks in total. After the team's teardown prior to the initial SimNFL season, the team struggled at all levels, but the strong emphasis coming out of the front office after a free agency that mostly involved spending on boosting the offensive line was that the team's draft would be focused on getting weapons for second-year QB Dekoda Link. With two weapons being selected with those four first round picks, along with a runningback in the third round, the team is hoping for a significant improvement from Link in year 2, compared to his rookie year where he put up a 51.3% completion percentage, 3,406 yards, 13 TD, and 15 INT.

 

Round 1

Pick 2 (#2 overall): Don Scott, TE, Temple (6'6, 238, Receiving)

2022 in review:  45 catches, 798 yards, 11 TD, First Team All-AAC

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 10.0

Overall/Potential: A/A

2023 Projection: Starting Tight End & Flex WR

Scott has long been considered the most talented tight end in the nation, but didn't put up mind-boggling stats in Temple's rather anemic 2022 passing offense. Scott showed off his obvious talent at the combine, however, where he put up an eye-popping list of athletic traits, including a 4.44 40-yard dash, 3.9 shuttle, 6.58 3-cone, 39 reps on the bench, not to mention a 33 Wonderlic and glowing character evaluation and excelling in the catching, route running, and blocking drills. All of this reportedly shot Scott up to #1 on Carolina's draft board, and the team was happy to rush to the podium and take him once he was available. The team envisions Scott as a versatile weapon and will try to get him on the field with Link as early and as much as possible.

 

Pick 5 (#5 overall): Caleb Suarez, DT, Missouri (6'3, 286, Balanced)

2022 in review:  69.5 tackles, 39 TFL, 6.0 sacks, 1 FR, First Team All-American, First Team All-SEC

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 9.72

Overall/Potential: A+/B+

2023 Projection: Starting Defensive Tackle

Caleb "Californiaeb" Suarez was one of Carolina's top 3 players they hoped would be available at pick #5, and he indeed fell to them. While it was reported that the team tried to trade out of this pick, no deals ultimately materialized and Suarez became a Panther. Suarez showed out at the combine alongside Scott, putting up arguably the best defensive tackle skills in a loaded DT class alongside a showcase of superior athleticism. Suarez was considered a "can't miss" player by most draft publications, with his only real issues being worrisome stamina and injury ratings, but with a deep DT rotation including recent signing Steven Kapfhammer, Suarez will not need to be on the field incredibly often to make an impact early in his career.

 

Pick 31 (#31 overall): Zach Trawick, FS, TCU (6'1, 196, Zone Coverage)

2022 in review: 69 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF, Second Team All-Big XII

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 10.0

Overall/Potential: A-/C

2023 Projection: Starting Free Safety

Trawick was one of the Carolina front office's favorite players in the draft and they were delighted to get him at pick #31 as the third free safety selected. Besides being the most athletic free safety to come out in the last two draft classes, Trawick also showed incredible skills at the combine - for instance, showing significantly better zone coverage skills than #8 overall pick Austin Bledsoe, a zone corner. Trawick will immediately take over patrolling the Carolina backfield and the team hopes that what looks like a mediocre potential rating on the surface will be outweighed by immediate playing time.

 

Pick 32 (#32 overall): Marco Thompson, WR, North Texas (5'10, 174, Route Runner)

2022 in review: 67 catches, 1,123 yards, 7 TD, Third Team All-CUSA

Relative Athletic Score (Pro Day): 8.66

Overall/Potential: B+/B

2023 Projection: Rotational Wide Receiver

Thompson was also a favorite of Carolina's after not attending the combine, but putting on an impressive performance at both the North Texas Pro Day and a private workout with the Panthers. With the philosophy of adding weapons for Link, the team decided to grab Thompson at the end of the first round. With a 10.89 route running grade at his pro day, Thompson comes in as a polished route running technician who should be able to see good playing time as a rookie in Carolina's brand new wide receiver corps, booned this offseason through the additions of Russell Barnes and Jose Maldonado, who Thompson will likely line up behind, in competition with incumbent Jose Melero, who had 76 catches for 591 yards and 4 TD in 2022.

 

Round 3

Pick 5 (#69 overall): Franchy Washington, CB, Purdue (5'11, 184, Ball Hawk)

2022 in review: 49 tackles, 4 INT, Second Team All-Big Ten

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 8.59

Overall/Potential: B-/B

2023 Projection: Rotational Cornerback, Core Special Teamer

The Panthers waited a whole round of picks before making their next pick with the Boilermakers' Franchy Washington. Washington improved markedly in his second season as a starter, pulling off four interceptions as the leader of the Purdue secondary. His decent coverage ability and solid athleticism led to his selection here. Washington will likely start his Panthers career rotating into games, especially when the team needs a timely turnover, before hopefully improving and transitioning into a starter in a couple of seasons.

 

Pick 22 (#86 overall): Jaime McManis, OT, Georgia (6'3, 285, Pass Blocking)

2022 in review: 5 pancakes, 1 sack allowed, Third Team All-SEC

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 8.69

Overall/Potential: B/B+

2023 Projection: Rotational Offensive Tackle

McManis, unfortunately for him, comes into what is now the deepest part of the Carolina team - the offensive line - where 8 players who are 60 overall or better are already on the team. Still, team owner Sarge has a soft spot for Bulldogs players, and McManis had both the traits and athleticism Carolina was looking for with their draft picks. McManis likely won't be a starter or take significant snaps for a couple of season unless something goes seriously wrong, but it can never hurt teams to have good depth along the offensive line.

 

Pick 32 (#96 overall): Erik Smith, RB, USC (5'10, 215, Balanced)

2022 in review: 254 attempts, 1,270 rushing yards (5 YPC), 9 TD; 41 catches, 874 receiving yards, 9 TD

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 7.96

Overall/Potential: B-/B

2023 Projection: Early Down Runningback

Smith put himself on the SimNFL radar in 2022 with over 2000 all-purpose yards, 18 total TD, and the showing of a great all-around game as a runningback, even though he does come in as the only Panthers draft selection to not make an all-conference team. Smith comes into a relatively open Carolina runningback room and could see some immediate snaps as a rookie as arguably the best pure runner on the team already. With his added penchant to catch the ball, Smith could turn into a versatile weapon for the Panthers if he gets the opportunity to fully showcase his skills.

 

Round 6

Pick 32 (#192 overall): Mike Anderson, DE, West Virginia (6'5, 264, Balanced)

2022 in review: 47 tackles, 20 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, Second Team All-Big XII

Relative Athletic Score (Combine): 6.56

Overall/Potential: C+/B-

2023 Projection: Depth Defensive End

Anderson was the final selection of the Panthers' draft class and the only player taken on Day 2. Anderson comes in as a solid, not spectacular player who can impact games in limited snaps in the trenches. In a defensive end class that lacked significant top end talent, Anderson should at least be a passable simNFL player who can receive snaps and not be a complete liability on the field, which is about as much as you can ask for from a sixth round pick.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Jambo

[cultur3]

wow i hate it

[alexfall862]

Quote

2023 Projection: Starting Tight End & Flex WR

What do you think the advantage is going to be in having Don Scott at WR, and do you think you might entertain the idea of an all TE receiving corps at some point in the season just to see what happens?

[Sarge]

8 hours ago, alexfall862 said:

What do you think the advantage is going to be in having Don Scott at WR, and do you think you might entertain the idea of an all TE receiving corps at some point in the season just to see what happens?

I like to imagine Don Scott filling the same role as our real life favorite TE Brock Bowers at UGA. He lines up out wide, in the slot and at TE. I think there's significant value in having Scott line up all over the field. He's 6'6" and has 4.39 speed, that alone will make him mismatch against NFL CBs all year.

If Ramik Phelps fell to us at the end of the first we probably would have entertained taking him and running both TEs at the WR position.

[Bundy]

18 hours ago, alexfall862 said:

 do you think you might entertain the idea of an all TE receiving corps at some point in the season just to see what happens?

scouting for the Kansas Jayhawks scheme a bit early are we 👀

[Bingo415]

REally like the Erik Smith pick in the 3rd. Had Day 1 worked better for me (tech-wise), I'd have likely taken him with our 3rd rounder. Very keen work. Can't argue with those two behemoths in the Top 5.