2021 NFL Draft: Early draft needs for the Carolina Panthers
By Kyle Edmond
Carolina Panthers 2021 NFL Draft Needs: Offensive Line
Normally, I would try and narrow it down to a part of the offensive line, but in the case of the Panthers, it is basically the entire unit.
From left to right, Carolina is set to roll out Russell Okung, John Miller, Matt Paradis, Dennis Daley and Taylor Moton to block. Daley is the youngest of the bunch, being a sixth-round pick in 2019, while both Paradis and Okung are over 30-years-old, at 30 and 32, respectively.
Once a first-round pick, Okung has turned into a journeyman of sorts at the tackle position with the Panthers being his fourth team since 2015. As for Miller, Paradis and Daley, they could all be very easily upgraded to improve the line.
One bright spot has been Moton, a 2017 second-round pick out of Western Michigan. Moton has started all 16 games the last two seasons, playing on 100% of the snaps in 2018 and 99% in 2019.
It is assumed, and rightfully so, that the Panthers will be picking somewhere in the top five of the 2021 NFL Draft. If that is the case, a player that would be a perfect fit on their offensive line would be offensive tackle Penei Sewell out of Oregon.
Sewell is being considered not only the best tackle in the draft, but one of the best tackles to come into the NFL in a long time. Should Carolina be in the top five and Sewell is still on the board, they should consider sprinting the pick up to be announced, depending on who else is available.