Panthers mock draft 4.0: Carolina drafts Bryce Young, makes surprise second-round pick
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2023 NFL Draft
The Carolina Panthers hold the top pick in this year’s draft and there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the team and what it will do. Check out all our pre-draft coverage here.
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The 2023 NFL Draft is days away.
The Carolina Panthers will kick off the draft on Thursday by making the No. 1 pick. Over the past month, The Observer predicts how Carolina’s draft weekend will go each Monday.
Previous Mike Kaye mock drafts: March 8 | March 20 | April 3 | April 17
Previous Ellis Williams mock drafts: March 13 | March 27 | April 10
Below is our latest Panthers-only mock draft:
First round: No. 1 (via CHI): Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Since the Panthers traded for the No. 1 pick I’ve felt confident the team would select Bryce Young. There is no reason to change that in my final mock draft.
The reason is simple. A large majority of NFL evaluators have considered Young the top quarterback in this class for well over a year. But the Panthers were not in a position to seriously consider Young until trading for the No. 1 pick. Once Carolina acquired the top selection, selecting Young became possible and soon will be a reality.
If the Panthers select Young it will be because he was the preferred pick all along, especially among the scouting department and ownership. The evaluation process only validated that.
Second round: No. 39: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
The Panthers’ needs at cornerback are more glaring than most realize. Jaycee Horn is an emerging star but has played in 16 games in two seasons. A foot fracture cost him 14 games of his rookie season in 2021. Last year he started 13 games but missed time due to two different injuries. A rib injury suffered in Week 5 kept him out of two games. He returned in Week 8 but broke his hand seven weeks later that ended his season.
Horn’s injuries forced him to miss both games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 and 17, respectively.
The depth behind Horn is shaky at best. Veteran Donte Jackson will return next season, but he’s recovering from a Week 10 Achilles injury. Jackson turns 28 years old in November. C.J. Henderson flashed at times last year but struggled against opposing No. 1 receivers after Jackson and Horn were out. Keith Taylor is only entering his third season, but he underwhelmed during extended action last year.
The Panthers projected top-four cornerbacks were all acquired under a different head coach. It is unclear how the new Panthers regime feels about their defensive backs. Carolina signed safeties Vonn Bell and Eric Rowe during free agency. If new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero wants a cornerback then targeting one at No. 39 would make sense.
At 6 foot 2 and 205 pounds, Georiga cornerback Kelee Ringo has desirable measurables. He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. As a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, Ringo was a key part of the team’s top-ranked defense. There are questions about his small-area quickness. He’ll need to develop into a capable man-coverage defender. But the Panthers have the infrastructure in place to develop a young, athletic cornerback into a star.
Third round: No. 93 (via SF): Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
The Panthers’ wide receiver room has been completely remade under new head coach Frank Reich. The team has signed D.J. Chark, Adam Thielen and Damiere Byrd. Chark and Byrd are outside burners while Thielen will handle slot responsibilities. Those newcomers join Laviska Sheneult Jr., Shi Smith and Terrace Marshall.
Carolina has quickly crafted a crowded receiver room, but it still needs to draft and develop pass-catching talent after trading DJ Moore.
Michigan State receiver Jayden Reed should be available just inside the top-100 picks. He is built like a complete receiver. At 6 feet, 185 pounds, he plays bigger than his frame. Reed can play outside or in the slot. He’s explosive in short-yardage situations and uses his quick-twitch athleticism to get open on underneath routes.
Reed could benefit from not immediately playing. Instead, he’d learn the pro game behind the Panthers’ plethora of veteran talent.
Fourth round: No. 114: Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
Finding a middle-round offensive lineman would help Carolina. The offensive line is a team strength, but there are notable question marks. The Panthers have yet to replace swing tackle Cam Erving. Guard Austin Corbett is recovering from a Week 17 torn ACL.
Blake Freeland is built like a future starting tackle. He is 6 foot 8 and weighs 305 pounds. He started more than 40 games at BYU over his four-year career. His nearly 34-inch arm length makes him a steady and versatile pass protector. In 1,129 snaps, he gave up one sack, according to Pro Football Focus. He earned a 91 grade from PFF as well.
Freeland may not be available outside the top 100, but if he is then the Panthers could land a future starting tackle with an early Day 3 pick.
Fifth round: No. 145: Andre Carter, Edge, Army
The Panthers have been searching for an edge rusher to play opposite Pro Bowler Brian Burns for several years. It’s unlikely a Day 3 defensive end will contribute starter-level productivity as a rookie. Carolina needs to identify an upside future starter who would thrive in the team’s new 3-4 front.
Carter projects as a Day 3 prospect with explosive traits. At Army, he recorded 14.5 sacks in 2021 and established himself as a passionate leader. He’s a bit undersized, but he made up for that with quick hands and fast feet. He’s swift around the edge and has a combination of pass-rush moves that are pro-ready.
He ran a 4.9-second 40-yard dash at Army’s pro day, an underwhelming time for his slight 260-pound frame. Carter would benefit from a redshirt season as an NFL rookie. That would help him put on pro football weight while learning from Burns and second-year defensive end Amaré Barno.
This story was originally published April 24, 2023 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Panthers mock draft 4.0: Carolina drafts Bryce Young, makes surprise second-round pick."
