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Carolina Panthers 2022 NFL Draft Grades: Value in QB Selection

By Andrew Fischer

Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Matt Corral (2) makes a throw against the Baylor Bears in the second quarter in the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Matt Corral (2) makes a throw against the Baylor Bears in the second quarter in the 2022 Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Carolina Panthers, Cade Mays. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina Panthers, Cade Mays. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 6, 199th Overall: Cade Mays, OL, Tennessee

Grade: B

Guard Austin Corbett and center Bradley Bozeman both signed with the Panthers in free agency this offseason. Bozeman’s deal is only for one year, so it makes sense that the Carolina Panthers would want to pick an offensive lineman who can play either guard or center.

Tennessee’s Cade Mays can do both. He’s a behemoth at 6’6” and 325 pounds, and he played at all five spots on the offensive line during his college career. The coaching staff in Carolina seemingly wants to run the football, so they’ve leaned towards picking solid run blockers along the offensive line. Using his lower body strength for run blocking is what Cade Mays does best.

Interior offensive lineman was a position of need for Carolina, and selecting Mays was a good value pick. The only reason that this pick isn’t graded as an A is because of who was selected before him. A pair of Georgia interior offensive linemen (Justin Shaffer and Jamaree Salyer) were picked in between Carolina’s two sixth round picks. They could have picked one of the Georgia players at pick 189 and grabbed an edge rusher later.

They also could have selected Virginia Tech’s Lecitus Smith at this spot, as I had him as a late round target for the Panthers. All in all though, Cade Mays is a good pick and should give the Panthers some interior offensive line depth with the possibility of developing into a potential starter down the line.

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