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Carolina Panthers 7-Round 2022 Mock Draft: A Solution At QB

By Andrew Fischer

Jan 9, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 29, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Kennedy Brooks (26) runs the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at the 2021 Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Kennedy Brooks (26) runs the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at the 2021 Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 7, 244th Overall: Kennedy Brooks, RB, Oklahoma

Christian McCaffrey is a great player and one of the best running backs in the NFL. He’s also only played 10 games combined over the past two seasons. As such it would be wise for the Panthers to pick up another running back on the cheap. And it doesn’t get much cheaper than a seventh-round draft pick.

Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks doesn’t get the pub of some of the other backs in college football, but it’s hard to deny his production and efficiency. The 5’11” 215-pound junior averaged 7 yards per carry on 472 rushes during his 3 active years in Norman, Oklahoma. He also flashed big play ability, with 20.6% of his career runs going for 10 or more yards.

Brooks is a bit of an enigma, as he’s a grinder that also has decent top end speed (4.48 projected 40-yard dash time). He’s built solid and runs with a low center of gravity. The only problem is, he takes a bit to get up to top speed. As a result, he doesn’t dance up at the line of scrimmage, he presses forward toward the line of scrimmage to build up momentum and get downhill.

Once in the open field, he’s great at juking defenders or using a stiff arm to get past them. He’s not easy to tackle one on one when he’s in the clear. The knocks on Kennedy Brooks are his injury history (he missed all of 2017 with a shoulder injury), lack of elite explosiveness, and lack of quickness getting in and out of his cuts. Despite all that, he could very well be a serviceable back for the Carolina Panthers and be someone to give Christian McCaffrey a break every once in a while.

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