It is no secret that the Panthers want to add an offensive tackle in the upcoming draft, and this is possibly the position that they are most likely to target in the first round. While both Matt Rhule and Scott Fitterer have insisted that they want to stick with taking the best player in the first round, they are probably hoping that the best player is a tackle.
While the Panthers would ideally like somebody who can step into a starting role right away, with Taylor Moton only definitely under contract for 2021 and both Greg Little and the recently signed Cam Erving only being under contract through 2022 there is also space for the Panthers to look to add both insurance and developmental depth later on in the draft as well.
So then, with that in mind, who are some names the Panthers could target?
Penei Sewell, Oregon (6’5 331lbs)
Photo Credit: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Despite opting out of the 2020 season, Sewell has spent much of the last year as the consensus top tackle prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft. While that has been placed into more question over the past month, Sewell seems highly likely to be taken in the top ten picks and could even be off the board before the Panthers pick, with the Bengals being a potential destination with the 5th pick. If he is still on the board come the 8th pick, however, his upside is going to be hard to pass on.
Sewell has a rare combination of quickness and power, with the ability to cover around the edge against speed rushers in pass protection on one snap and then drive 3-techs backwards in the run game the next. In pass protection, he does a good job of taking good even steps to keep weight fluctuations to a minimum and does a good job of locating hands in both facets of the game. In terms of the innate traits teams look for in offensive linemen, Sewell ticks all the boxes.
However, there are also some technical issues that Sewell will need to address to become the best version of himself in the NFL. His pad level is quite inconsistent and in pass protection this can lead to his weight loading onto his back leg and making him vulnerable to inside moves. He then tends to let his arms get quite wide to recover his balance which exposes his frame and creates issues with arm extension. As a run blocker, he again needs to improve his knee bend and can get caught leaning with limited arm extension at times.
Sewell can become one of the very best offensive tackles in the NFL, but he is not a finished product at all and could have some struggles early on unless he is able to refine his technique and play with more discipline. For the Panthers, Sewell’s upside will have real appeal but might not be a week one starter if he isn’t able to hit the ground running in camp.
Stone Forsythe, Florida (6’8 307lbs)
Florida offensive lineman Stone Forsythe takes up his position during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Forsythe is not somebody the Panthers will take in the first round, or the second in all likelihood, but could be an option come the middle rounds, especially if they are not confident in securing Moton long-term. Forsythe likely won’t be a week one starter wherever he ends up, though this shouldn’t be completely disregarded, but he is a more than solid player who would offer a high-quality of depth at tackle for the Panthers and could certainly step into a starting role as a #2 tackle down the road.
As a very tall player, his pad level is unlikely to ever be amazing, but he shows pretty good knee bend on the whole (though this is sometimes accompanied by something of a forwards lean). He shows a nice ability to create leverage with his footwork as a run blocker and while he doesn’t have the very top-end foot speed he is able to cover around the edge effectively in pass protection with pretty good power in the run game.
Where Forsythe is very impressive is with his upper body, as while his arm extension can be inhibited at times by his pad level, he shows good hand placement in both facets of the game and does a good job of keeping his elbows in, which allows him to consistently strike to the frame of defenders.
Currently, his pad level is likely going to be his biggest issue, and while he doesn’t have any stand-out straights he is a very reliable player who could be a long-term starter in the NFL and a genuine plus player if he is able to continue to improve his pad level.
Rashawn Slater, Northwestern (6’4 304lbs)
Photo Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports
If the Panthers are going to draft somebody and ask them to step into a starting role week one, then their best bet will almost certainly be Rashawn Slater. While he doesn’t have the very top tier athletic traits of Sewell and some others, he is the most technically polished of the tackle prospects in this class and is not a bad athlete by any means. There has been some discussion about whether he would be better moving inside to guard but looks to be similar to Isaiah Wynn with the Patriots, who is a good tackle even if he might be an All-Pro at guard.
Slater does a really good job of taking sharp quick steps to cover laterally and his footwork in the run game really stands out, with an ability to reach block effectively to create lateral leverage. Where his limitations come in terms of pass protection is when dealing with rushers who can effectively convert speed to power as he can load weight backwards when challenged for speed which makes him vulnerable to power-based inside moves.
In terms of hand usage, he does a good job of locating his punch and shows consistently good arm extension in the passing game especially and works well to reset when defenders are able to initially get inside hand placement. He might not have overwhelming power as a run blocker, but he is able to hold his ground effectively and moves well in space to allow him to be effective as a pulling blocker or out in front on screens.
Slater might not be the flashiest player, but he is effective in all regards with good technique even if his absolute ceiling in pass protection isn’t as high as some others. For the Panthers, Slater has the ability to come in and start at a high level right away, as well as having the flexibility to move across the line based on how things develop at the different positions and should certainly be part of the consideration with the 8th pick.
James Hudson, Cincinnati (6’5 313lbs)
National Team offensive lineman James Hudson III of Cincinnati (55) blocks during the first half of the NCAA college football Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Hudson is another who is unlikely to be a selection in the first fifty picks or so of the draft, and is definitely not somebody who is ready to make an immediate contribution in the NFL, but has a lot of traits that teams will be keen to try and develop into a high-quality NFL starter. While having traits is very different from being a good player, if a team is confident in Hudson’s ability to learn then he is somebody who certainly has the talent to be taken on day two.
In terms of athletic traits, Hudson shows really good lateral agility and foot speed with pretty good power, while flashing the hand placement to be able to effectively secure blocks on a consistent basis. However, his stance gets him into all kinds of problems both in the passing game and run game. He sets far too narrow a base on a fairly consistent basis and has a terrible habit of moving with his upper body without moving his feet to match which means his weight is rarely under control.
His hand usage is a victim of his footwork, as his arms often get quite wide in order to help him recover balance and this can cause him issues when striking and his arm extension is consistently quite poor. He does show some flashes of being able to generate lateral leverage with footwork but the effectiveness of this is largely undone by his technical issues.
Hudson is a project. His stance likely needs to be completely remade and he needs to play with far more technical discipline in pretty much every regard. If the Panthers are convinced that this is a matter of coaching and are willing to invest the time then Hudson certainly has the talent to reward the investment either late on day two or early on day three but is also a player with a fairly significant risk of busting completely.
Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech (6’5 322lbs)
Photo Credit: Virginia Tech Athletics
In terms of pure athletic traits, Darrisaw is arguably the most talented tackle prospect in the class. While he is another who might not be ready from a technical perspective to play at a high level right away, he has the ceiling of being one of the best tackles in the NFL while also having the flexibility to move around the line and the versatility to be effective in pretty much any scheme. While he is a risk, he is possibly the best compromise between upside and ceiling in the class if the Panthers are looking for a #1 tackle.
Darrisaw is an exceptional athlete, with good foot speed and agility to cover around the edge in pass protection, the lower body flexibility to play with really good pad level at all times, and enough power to move people in the run game and to hold his own on the interior if needs be. In pass protection he takes good short steps on the whole and while his weight can at times load onto his back leg this is not a significant issue, and he keeps his weight over his feet well.
As a run blocker, he shows a nice ability to generate lateral leverage with footwork and while he can straighten his knees as plays go on, he does a good job of staying low to maximize his leverage. Where he can let himself down, however, he needs to be better with his hand usage. His arms tend to get quite wide on a consistent basis which creates issues locating his punch and his doesn’t play with especially good arm extension both in pass protection and the run game.
If Darrisaw can continue to work on his technique, especially in terms of his hand usage, then he has a chance to become a really good tackle at the NFL level, and while he is more of a risk than the likes of Slater, he looks to be less of a project than Sewell, even if he lacks the former’s absolute ceiling. If the Panthers want more upside from a top-10 pick than Slater, and aren’t comfortable with the risk of Sewell, then Darrisaw would be a very good compromise between the two.
Photo Credit: NUSports.com
The Panthers are in a somewhat unusual spot at tackle, as they do have potentially good options at both tackle spots on the roster but lack any real long-term certainty at either tackle spot. If the Panthers are determined to find somebody in the draft who can start week one at left tackle, then there aren’t a ton of sure-fire options, but if they are willing to have some patience then there is certainly a lot of upside to be had throughout the draft.
It’s certainly going to be interesting to see what direction the Panthers go in.
(Top photo via Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
