2020 NFL Draft: Carolina Panthers add impact EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos

The Carolina Panthers go back to the defensive line with the selection of Yetur Gross-Matos in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

We all loved the Carolina Panthers taking Derrick Brown with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. In the second round, the Panthers go back to the defensive line, bringing in Yetur Gross-Matos, an exciting edge rusher out of Penn State.

Gross-Matos is a bit of a raw talent who needs some time to develop. He is not a ready-made NFL player, but his combination of length and athleticism on the outside is extremely exciting.

Gross-Matos is quick off of the snap and shows impressive bend around the edge. While Gross-Matos undoubtedly needs to improve his overall pass-rush repitoire in order to reach his ceiling at the next level, but that ceiling is undoubtedly exciting.

After these first two picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, the defensive line is starting to look like a major position of strength for the Carolina Panthers. Not only do they now have Brown and Gross-Matos in their defensive line room, but they also took Brian Burns in the first round last season and he had a strong rookie season. A team can do a lot worse than building a defensive line around Burns, Brown and Gross-Matos.

The Panthers are clearly a team with their eyes on the future and this selection of Gross-Matos makes sense for that. Gross-Matos is a high-risk, high-reward player who may take some time to develop at the next level. However, if he hits, he should be coming into his own just as the Carolina Panthers expect to be competitive in the NFC South.

Right now, the NFC South is absolutely loaded and the Panthers are going to have a tough time competing. That being said, they are doing a nice job of stockpiling talent for when they are ready to seriously contend.