The Carolina Panthers don’t necessarily need a defensive lineman like they need an offensive one. But would they really pass on what could be the top prize of 2022 NFL draft class?
Pro Football Focus college analyst Seth Galina seems to think so, as he has University of Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux slipping right by the Panthers’ sixth overall selection. Instead of opting for the No. 2-ranked player on PFF’s big board, Galina hooks Carolina up with North Carolina State University offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu in his new mock draft.
“Some believe that Ekwonu is the best tackle prospect in the draft, so the Panthers would be wise to select him at sixth overall,” he writes. “He’s a mauler in the run game but still has some kinks to work out in pass protection. However, if Carolina wants to get the best out of whoever is starts at quarterback, finding a franchise tackle is key.”
Spending that pick on any of the premier hog mollies of this group would, obviously, be a wise investment. Save for Taylor Moton’s right tackle spot, there are no guarantees along that feeble Panthers front for next season.
Leaving Thibodeaux in the green room, though, may not be too slick—especially if the team’s leading pass rusher in Haason Reddick bolts in free agency. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Duck posted 35.5 sacks over his 30 games for Oregon, proving to be an absolute terror on tape and in the stat sheet.
Often times, free agency is there to fill needs and the draft is there to simply add the best talent available. And Thibodeaux—who fell past a total of seven teams in this particular projection—is certainly one of, if not the, best talent coming up from the college ranks.
