Why Panthers should trade back from 7th pick in 2020 NFL Draft
By Seth Steere
Who could they land then?
The Panther’s two biggest needs are along their defensive line on the interior and on the outside at cornerback. For the teams that lie above them, most of their needs lie at quarterback and offensive tackle, likely causing players at other positions to fall despite being the more talented prospect. This is good for Carolina, good players will begin to fall down the board leaving them with options.
The Panthers shouldn’t look to trade back too far, any further than the Falcons at 16 could cause them to lose out on one of the more complete prospects. Say Carolina were to trade back to 16 with Atlanta, who would be some of the players that could be on the board? Using the mock draft simulator at The Draft Network, I ran three mock drafts where the Panthers traded back to 16 with the Falcons; two-out-of-three times Javon Kinlaw was still on the board and only two corners had been selected (CJ Henderson and Jeff Okudah).
Next. 5 2020 NFL Draft prospects being overlooked as event approaches. dark
Selecting at 16 would still put Carolina in a place to draft a talented player at a position of need while adding more picks later on in the draft and perhaps in the 2021 draft. It may be appealing to sit tight at seven and pick a guy like Isaiah Simmons, but the Panthers are more than just one player away from competing; they need to continue to accumulate draft capital and talent to a roster that is dire need of it.