2021 NFL Draft: Early favorites to land the first pick and Trevor Lawrence
By Kyle Edmond
Carolina Panthers (Currently 0-2)
Although the Jacksonville Jaguars were the team most expected to tank, the Carolina Panthers weren’t far behind. New Head Coach Matt Rhule is still installing his system and getting his type of players in, so despite some star power and a defense full of rookies, the Panthers were entering the year with an uphill battle ahead.
To make matters worse, starting running back Christian McCaffrey just went down for multiple weeks with what is being reported as a high-ankle sprain. No one wants injuries to occur, but in the long run, this one might help the Panthers.
Without McCaffrey, the offense is left without its biggest playmaker while the defense is still young and inexperienced. Having already lost to Las Vegas and Tampa Bay, the Panthers are already in a rut and play in one of the toughest divisions, thanks to Tom Brady and Drew Brees.
The positive of all of this is that Carolina is quickly becoming the favorite to land Trevor Lawrence. Just over two hours down the road from each other, Lawrence seems to be the perfect fit to get Rhule’s system off the ground. Just imagine Lawrence and McCaffrey in the same backfield for the next five or more years, it’s a scary thought.