2020 NFL Draft: Trade-up targets for the Carolina Panthers
Round Three:
1. Damon Arnette, Cornerback, Ohio State
Another cornerback who the Carolina Panthers could move up for is former Buckeye Damon Arnette. Arnette has the ability to play both inside at nickel and also outside on the boundary. I may be a bit higher on him as a prospect than most people, but the third round is usually where you will see him coming off the board.
There are weaknesses in Arnette’s game mainly the question about his lack of top speed. It is not certain that he could stick with the faster receivers in the NFL. He’ll need to resort to slight pulling and grabbing which could draw flags, but he does have the strength to handle bigger receivers.
He may be best utilized in a zone, but I believe he could also develop into a solid man corner despite not having high-end speed. He has the size that NFL teams want in a cornerback at 6-feet and 195 pounds.
2. Matt Hennessy, IOL, Temple
The Carolina Panthers have a need on their interior line and Matt Hennessy has risen up draft boards ever since the Senior Bowl. He may be undersized but his competitiveness and toughness are what jumps out the most.
He was a three-year starter at center for Temple where Matt Rhule recruited him. Carolina may not need a center with Matt Paradis manning the position, however, Hennessy could make the transition to guard as he was a tackle throughout his high school career and started one game a left guard in his freshman season in 2016.
It wouldn’t be an easy move for Hennessy and he’ll need to put on some more weight and add some strength, but I believe he is more than capable of playing guard in the NFL.
3. Damien Lewis, IOL, LSU
This potential trade-up for the Carolina Panthers would be for the benefit of Christian McCaffrey. Damien Lewis is not a highly touted pass blocker. In fact, he isn’t a very good pass protector at all. He’ll need to improve tremendously in one on one matchups depending on what scheme he lands in.
That being said, he is a bully in the run game with his wide frame and explosive power. He could be a big part of another big year for McCaffrey on the ground. Lining Lewis in between veterans Okung and Paradis could hide some of his pass blocking weaknesses.
4. Cameron Dantzler, Cornerback, Mississippi State
I actually had the Carolina Panthers taking Cameron Dantzler in the third round of my 7-round team mock draft. He was available for them in that specific simulation, however, he was off of the board in the three simulations I ran for this article.
This is more realistic as I have a late second-round grade on Dantzler. It is unknown how the NFL feels about Dantzler, but coaches and scouts do love big corners. At 6-foot-2 Dantzler certainly has the height and length, but he’ll need to add weight and strength to his slight frame (188 pounds).
Danztler does a great job using his length to break up passes as he had eight passes defended and two interceptions during his final season at Mississippi State. His explosive athleticism paired with his solid length could make him a pest for NFL receivers, but he’ll need to add strength to avoid being knocked around by bigger receivers.