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Carolina Panthers: Late Round Targets In The 2022 NFL Draft

By Andrew Fischer

Washington Football Team selects Lecitus Smith in this mock draft. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
Washington Football Team selects Lecitus Smith in this mock draft. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /
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Oct 16, 2021; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies offensive lineman Lecitus Smith (54) guards the line for quarterback Braxton Burmeister (3) during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2021; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies offensive lineman Lecitus Smith (54) guards the line for quarterback Braxton Burmeister (3) during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Lecitus Smith, G, Virginia Tech

The Carolina Panthers signed center Bradley Bozeman and guard Austin Corbett to shore up the interior of their offensive line. While those players should surely help, they could still use another guard. Pat Elflein is currently penciled in as the starter at left guard, and Carolina could utilize a late round selection on another player to eventually take over as the starter. Lecitus Smith could become that player eventually as many draftniks peg him as a developmental prospect.

Lecitus Smith has the requiste size (6’3” 320) and strength to play guard in the NFL. His athleticism would help him thrive in a zone-blocking run offense, like the wide zone blocking scheme that the Carolina Panthers run. Smith has above average lateral agility, which is a desired trait for teams that run the wide zone blocking scheme. He played almost exclusively at left guard for the Hokies, and that’s the spot on the interior offensive line that the Panthers would probably most like to upgrade.

Additionally, Lecitus Smith uses his wide lower body frame to maintain his balance. He rarely got knocked off kilter and was able to establish a good anchor against interior defenders. The lower half of Smith’s body is solid, and this is extremely beneficial when it comes to run blocking. He has strong upper and lower leg muscles in addition to a strong core, and these traits provide him with the strength to gain leverage on defenders and regularly win at the point of attack.

If all that’s not enough, Lecitus Smith has shown that he as a competitive edge to him, as he frequently gives maximum effort on each rep, and should be able to set the tone for the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line at the beginning of each game.

The only downsides to Smith are his lack of elite length and inexperience at the guard position. He originally played tight end when he came to Virginia Tech in 2017, but eventually bulked up and moved inside. His athleticism should make him a tantalizing middle round pick for the Carolina Panthers or any team looking to find a developmental interior offensive line prospect.

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