The Panthers now have four picks in the top 100 of the 2019 NFL Draft as they’ve been awarded an additional third-round pick – #100 – as the NFL issued 32 compensatory picks to 15 different teams under rules for compensatory draft selections, which states that a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks; compensatory free agents are determined by a formula developed by the NFL Management Council that is based on salary, playing time and postseason honors.
The Panthers lost Andrew Norwell, Star Lotulelei and Ed Dickson to free agency while only signing Dontari Poe and Ross Cockrell during last year’s offseason.
The Panthers will now be picking 16th in the first round, 15th in the second round (No. 47 overall), 14th (No. 78 overall) and now 37th (No. 100) in the third round, 13th in the fourth round (No. 115), 16th in the fifth round (No. 154) and 15th in the sixth round (No. 188) – they traded their seventh round pick along with Kaelin Clay to Buffalo for cornerback Kevon Seymour in 2017.
The Panthers have drafted in the #100 slot before – they selected linebacker Hannibal Navies in 1999 and cornerback Dante Wesley in 2002 – last year’s fourth-round selection, tight end Ian Thomas, was the 101st pick in the draft. The 100th pick has produced several excellent NFL players, from Everson Griffin and Rudi Johnson to former Panther Raghib “Rocket” Ismail – even current safety Da’Norris Searcy was selected 100th overall by the Bills in 2011.
The NFL Draft will be held from April 25-27 in Nashville, TN – the NFL’s Draft Combine begins next week in Indianapolis.
