NFL Mock Draft 2021: Patriots, Washington trade up in 3-round mock
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 8th pick
Rashawn Slater. 8. Scouting Report. Northwestern. OT. player. 87. Pick Analysis
The Carolina Panthers spent their entire 2020 NFL Draft class on the defensive side of the ball. The offense needs an emphasis in 2021.
Especially now that the Panthers have acquired Sam Darnold to be their next quarterback.
Darnold was acquired for a sixth-round pick in 2021 and a second- and fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Panthers can’t make the same mistakes the New York Jets made. They need to surround Darnold with the proper level of talent around him, and bringing in Slater is doing exactly that.
The Panthers are already giving Darnold better skill guys than he’s ever had with DJ Moore, Christian McCaffrey, and his former Jets teammate Robby Anderson. They could stand to add some more weapons on the outside but they need to make sure that Darnold is protected and that lanes are paved for McCaffrey.
Slater opted out of the 2020 season, but teams love his 2018 and 2019 tape as well as his positional flexibility and versatility. He’s played on both the right and left side, and played well at both.
He looked like an absolute stud in 2019 against eventual second-overall pick Chase Young.
With his athletic talent, the sky is the limit for Slater.