Panthers select Chandler Zavala with No. 114 overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft

The Panthers have selected N.C. State guard Chandler Zavala with the No. 114 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

This is a solid pick for a Panthers team that needs to bolster its interior offensive line for rookie quarterback Bryce Young, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday night. Zavala has experience playing next to the Panthers’ left tackle Ikem Ekwonu at N.C. State, and will give the team some much needed depth on the offensive line after Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett went down with injuries last season.

NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein believes that Zavala has “limited athleticism but an above average talent for driving opponents out of the run lane”, and that he “has the size and ability to eventually become a starter”, so this could end up being a solid Day 3 pickup for a Panthers team that’s always looking for depth on the offensive line.

You can check out Zierlein’s full scouting report here, but here’s a brief overview of his analysis:

Guard prospect with a broad base, limited athleticism and an above-average talent for driving opponents out of the run lane. While Zavala can be a step slow getting out of his stance and into positioning as a move blocker, he does have experience in just about every run blocking scheme. He has the pure power to match up with NFL interior defenders as a drive blocker. He plays with heavy hands and a wide base as both a run and pass blocker. Limited reactive agility will lead to him getting beat in protection and by downhill linebackers, but he has the size and ability to eventually become a starter.

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