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2023 Panthers Mock Draft - The Zero Edition: V1

So now that the Super Bowl is over, I think it's time to release my first ever mock draft written out and to maybe put an eye on some prospects we could take as well as look at in the future. I've done my fair share of tape watching in the past and think somewhat highly of the guys I mock to the Panthers but also in general with these mock drafts I am obviously biased as a lifelong Panthers fan, and I also want to have fun myself since these are ultimately purely for entertainment value. (Unless people working in the Panthers FO are reading this, in which case do me a favor and try to bring back sign a safety in free agency to move Chinn back to LB where he belongs please and thank you and also bring back Cam so I can see his haters on CSR lose it) Also making this endeavor even more pointless is that we are still completely early in the process of this whole draft business to the point tons and tons can change in terms of where people will be available, the 40 yard dash geeks that stupidly think the Scouting Combine is important will get some bums moving way up and I'll have jumped out of my window from certain folks trying to convince us Will Levis is a 1st Round prospect.


But nevertheless, I conducted this exercise using our favorite mock draft simulator (PFN is the best one, PFF is missing like dozens of guys for some reason but hopefully it'll be better in time for V2. Show some respect to my guy Boutte damn it!) and I too am familiar with the draft pick value trade chart. Which as we know is completely immaculate and 100% accurate to how real teams think and utilize picks in their trades. Which I made a bunch of. I like draft trades. They're pretty cool. Especially mine as the name we all trust most in mock drafting expertise and for 1 day the recognized symbol of excellence of sports...entertainers.


I plan on releasing a new version of this once a month. Part of me is sincerely hoping my March version just picks the same guys over and over again which knowing me and how many times I mocked Chad Muma to us last year, it's certainly possible! So without further adieu:


Panthers Mock Draft V0 (Because my name...haha...it's...hehe, it has Zero in it! Wait that isn't clever? Okay, nevermind it's V1)


2023 Panthers Mock Draft - The Zero Edition: V1


So in Round 1 a turn of events happened that got Carolina in position to lock down their QB of the future spot. If there's one thing that's annoying in talking College football it's the rather strange contingent of Ohio State fans who try so so hard to tell themselves that the Big 10 is just as good of a level of competition as the SEC, many of which are on this very website. Thankfully for the Panthers in my mock draft the GM of the Texans is also one of those types, as they traded with the Bears to prevent anyone else from getting "their guy" in a reversal of fortune from the Bears' own past getting the UNC legend True Biscuit. The Bears then made a galaxy brained move of trading down again with the Seahawks banking on getting whoever may be left between Will Anderson & Jalen Carter. But then a last second swoop in from Panthers owner David Tepper convinced the Bears to pass on that dream to maybe, just maybe get back and get Justin Fields a modicum of actual help before they get him killed on purpose. As we all know, Swooping is bad. But for the first time ever it paid off as the Panthers prevented the Raiders or Falcons for screwing up their plans.


TRADE:

Bears get picks #9 - #39 - #147 - CAR's 2024 Round 2 pick & CAR's 2024 Round 3 pick

Panthers get picks #5 - #133 CHI's 2024 Round 4 & CHI's 2024 Round 5 pick


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Round 1, Pick 5: Bryce Young - QB - Alabama


The Panthers pick my number one QB as he falls below the worthy CJ Stroud & the ultimate draft fraud Zack Wilson II since the Colts throw their lot in with yet another below average and square headed white QB. The Panthers benefit from their mistakes by taking the man who led a surprisingly not great supporting cast to nearly a College Playoff berth except when he was stopped by the other best QB I will probably eventually try to sell you all on in Hendon Hooker. But for Young it's obviously an upside pick in that he has all the tools you would want, in addition to being a dangerous threat physically. Another thing watching him that impresses me is that he has elite confidence in making every throw he needs to. He has shown a Mahomes-esque faith in his own ability while being 5 times as likable as a personality. His size has been a top talking point and what will likely make him fall from #1 where he should be, but watching him I never felt at all like I was watching someone who was struggling with his size. If anything he constantly showed excellent QB vision and an ability to make plays seemingly out of his backside. The concern about his frame is real, but I'm honestly pretty confident it won't be a problem for him more than anyone else in terms of injury. I look for him to bulk up just due to it being put in his head so much and his play style is much more using his legs to find the throw more than him trying to be the next Michael Vick. In terms of the trade, I would be thrilled to get a player the level of Young without giving up more than 1 1st. Only moving up 4 spots isn't a ton to give up two 2nds and two 3rds but it's more than worth it. Young is the kind of player that will make the rest of the offense better and perhaps can finally accomplish our dreams of turning DJ into a true #1 WR.


Division Picks in Round 1: ATL got Tyree Wilson to try to fix their horrible D-Line, TB gets Michael Mayer, a guy I want for the Panthers in a trade back scenario, and NO got Cam Smith, a South Carolina DB who is much much better than CJ Henderson.


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Round 2, Pick 61: Andre Carter - DE/Edge/OLB - Army


The best prospect to come from the honorable Armed Forces institutions in years and years finds his home in Carolina and unlike the man who he'll be paired up with on the other side who only does one thing right, he has shown being skilled at all aspects of being at his position. There is concern about him being a one year wonder as his numbers went way down his last year to what it was the year prior, but he had a ton of blocking focus on him. He proved what he can do when he wasn't eyed as much last year when he had over 15 sacks. I really think he has all the tools to be a guy with great burst and length as well. On a line with an awesome player like Brown and Burns, who can rush the QB this line could turn into a devastating force with the addition of Carter who may end up having free reign to make a ton of big plays as he showed in 2021.


Division Picks: ATL gets Tuli Tulopolotu from USC further bolstering the DL, TB gets Gervon Dexter with the same thought, and NO uses their two picks, one on BJ Ojulari with the same as every NFC South team goes to the DL...until they trade into the end of the 2nd and use pick #63 on their next starting QB, Tanner McKee.


And we follow their lead with another trade immediately after!


TRADE:

Bears receive picks #93 - #114 & CHI's Round 4 pick

CAR receives picks #64 - #220 & CHI's Round 7 pick


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Round 3, Pick 64: Tucker Kraft - TE - South Dakota State


Like Carter, he's another guy that fell off after a big 2021 but unlike Carter the upside here is massive. He is a guy that played 9-Man High School ball and has excellent physical tools in terms of size and speed coming in at 6'6. His tape shows a guy that is a RAC monster. The kinda guy that makes you pay multiple times a game if you let him. The exact opposite kind of player as Ian Thomas or Tommy Tremble who are slightly above those 9-Man ball guys he used to play with. I wouldn't say he has elite hands specifically, but look for him in a similar way that the Jags used Evan Engram last year. With good development from Reich & crew, the sky is the limit for a player like Kraft and made it worth giving the Bears their 4th Rounder back as well as ours this year to move up 29 spots.


Division 3rd Round Picks: NO takes the Georgia Tech Edge Keion White as the division continues to favor D-line, as well as Zach Evans, the Ole Miss back to pair with Kamara. ATL

nabs yet another defensive player, this time Ohio State's Zach Harrison. TB takes the 6'8 BYU O-lineman Blake Freeland in another guy I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on even though there are more pressing needs...

TRADE:
Panthers receive #105 - 2024 ARZ Round 7 pick
Cardinals receive #132 - #133



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Round 4, Pick 105: Marvin Mims - WR - Oklahoma

For the second straight round and 3rd out of 4 overall Carolina trades up. This time getting a weapon for our new Franchise QB to utilize. One of my absolute favorites to watch on tape, it'll be hard not to remember our own Panther legend Steve Smith when you watch how this guy is able to play bigger than his small size. He also fulfills a much needed role as a Kick/Punt Returner. We've largely utilized TMJ which opens the door for Mims to be a slot burner. He feels like the perfect kind of guy we should look at, averaging close to 20 yards per catch at Oklahoma, and let's be honest: He wasn't exactly playing with a Bryce Young level QB for much of his career. If he falls to the 4th, jump on him. Because mark my words Mims is gonna be a player in the NFL.

TRADE:
Panthers Receive Picks #120 - #243 - PIT 2024 R7 Pick
Steelers Receive Pick #220 - CAR 2024 R5 Pick - CHI 2024 R5 Pick




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Round 4, Pick #120: Trey Palmer - WR - Nebraska

I double up on WR weapons with the dynamic Palmer, a former state track champion in High School who also put up the fastest 40 yard dash time at the Senior Bowl of any player. He is bigger than Mims and projects in my opinion as a better return man, but Mims has better hands and fit in the slot for our scheme. So why not just get both of them? I understand there are bigger needs, but not when we have a top 5 pick at QB. The Bears have shown us what happens when you don't set up rookie QBs to succeed, even when they're extremely talented. Palmer and Mims both have huge upside, I couldn't decide which I liked more so why not see which one sticks and maybe both if our guys we have already continue to slack? And worst case scenario the odd man out can be a dangerous return specialist as their floor which is something we've needed for years anyway. But Palmer has potential to be legit. I have seen some lags in effort compared to Mims, but if Reich & co. can light a fire in him he can push TMJ.

Division Picks, Round 4: ATL gets Owen Pappoe, a LB from Auburn as well as Xavier Hutchinson, a WR from Iowa State, a guy I wanted too for us. NO gets AT Perry, the Wake WR & TB traded into the 4th to get DeWayne McBride, the RB out of UAB.

Division Picks, Round 5: NO gets Brevyn Spann-Ford, the Minnesota TE as well as Nick Hampton, the Appalachian State dynamo. TB gets Anythony Bradford, the Guard as well as Dontay Demus Jr. at WR while ATL takes Carrington Valentine, the DB from Kentucky.

Division Picks, Round 6: TB gets Kei'Trel Clark, the CB from Louisville, as well as Robert Beal Jr. at Edge.






Round 7, Pick #243: Quindell Johnson - S - Memphis

I'm from Memphis so of course I like him. I also think we desperately need a safety. If we don't sign one in FA, it's likely I look for one much earlier. That said Johnson is a steal in the 7th. A lot of his issues are more things that can be taught, he is a bit grabby at times if he gets stuck on a speedster and isn't a great tackler when beat. He looked at his best to me covering the box. But he was great at that, picking up multiple INTs this past year and when he was able to take the right angle, was more than solid. If he can get a coach to help him see the field better he can be a starter. I don't think he'll ever be super great but in the 7th it's gonna be a project. He's one that I see has tools that can be harnessed, however.

Division Picks, Round 7: ATL gets SirVoccea Dennis the LB from Pittsburgh, & Carter Warren to fill up a spot on their OL. TB takes Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the 3rd in division QB taken as well as Jake Andrews, another lineman. NO gets Bumper Pool with the last pick of the draft and one day we'll hear the end of it.

So overall I made 4 trades and wound up with:

1. Bryce Young
2. Andre Carter
3. Tucker Kraft
4. Marvin Mims
5. Trey Palmer
6. Quindell Johnson

I obviously was offense focused which we should be in every Mock, but got a difference maker in Carter. If I wasn't able to get Young then I think it would have looked significantly different but if we're going to make the leap to get him then I say do whatever it takes to surround him with talent. We have the OL and a good running game. As I said I reserve the right to change from Palmer to a Safety like one of the 2 from Florida who were still on the board at 120 if we don't sign a real safety. Please God don't let them roll Chinn out there at S again. But otherwise I feel like we're significantly improved. I strongly believe WR & TE are two absolute primary positions as it has been proven many times again and again that championship teams are strong there while for us it is a weakness. Not on Dylan's watch! Have fun picking me apart and offering your thoughts and maybe even liking some of the players if you check these guys out any, they're all at least good targets.

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