Carolina Panthers 2022 NFL Draft Grades: Value in QB Selection

This is a pivotal offseason for the Carolina Panthers. This upcoming season will be year three for head coach Matt Rhule, and the pressure will be on to improve upon last year’s 5-12 record and to compete for an NFC South division title.

The Carolina Panthers’ two most pressing needs were offensive tackle and quarterback, and general manager Scott Fitterer was tasked with addressing those needs during the 2022 NFL Draft. The problem was, Carolina didn’t have a second or a third-round pick in this year’s draft, due to previous trades they’d made.

But often the key to running a successful draft is watching the board and making a move if an opportunity presents itself. Reaching for players can prove just as costly as trading away picks or standing pat, so patience and discipline in the war room is often key. Sometimes odd things happen, and players slide down draft boards. Sometimes players are available at spots that no team could have predicted going into the draft.

Having a good scouting department is crucial, and the front offices that trust their scouts and their respective evaluations on players (regardless of public perception) are the ones that often find gems in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft.

Carolina Panthers 2022 NFL Draft Grades

Going into the 2022 NFL Draft, many pundits commented on how unremarkable the quarterbacks were. NFL front offices seemed to agree with that assessment, as Kenny Pickett was the lone quarterback selected in the first round.

The next quarterback wouldn’t be selected until the third round, and that happens to be the round where the Panthers hope they found their potential future franchise QB. In this article I’ll grade each individual draft pick by the Carolina Panthers and offer an overall grade at the end. Let’s get to it.