TRADE: The Panthers send the 113th pick to Philadephia for picks 127 and 168.
Having traded up despite having so many needs, the Panthers will likely have to trade down at least once later in the draft in order to add more picks to help fill out what is quite a thin roster already – and while the Panthers would have to move back a couple places to do so, trades like this which help to add picks are something of a necessity when you leave yourself without any day two picks and a lot of holes to fill.
For the Eagles, this gives them a chance to jump up a few spots and grab somebody who has fallen out of the second day.
127th Overall: Logan Wilson, LB (Wyoming); 6’2 241 lbs
The Panthers need to add talent on defense, something that was made clear in Marty Hurney’s pre-draft virtual press conference, and while they have managed to fill the gap left by Kuechly in the short term with the signing of Tahir Whitehead, that is only on a one-year deal, and they could look to find a long-term partner for Shaq Thompson in the middle of the defense in Wilson.
He might take some time to adjust, having come from a smaller school in Wyoming and having played safety prior to college, but he is a well-rounded run defender, a pretty good athlete and; most importantly; shows an excellent reading of the game. While there is only one Luke Kuechly, Wilson’s ability to read the game is excellent, and is consistently able to impact the game as an underneath zone defender with his good range and great instincts and ball skills. He might take a year to find his feet, but could be a long-term starter for any team with patience.
ROUND 5
148th Overall: Saahdiq Charles, OL (LSU); 6-4, 321 lbs
The Panthers need to add more depth to the offensive line if nothing else, and while Charles is probably going to have to move inside at the NFL level, he would be able to compete for the starting left guard spot with Dennis Daley as a rookie, while also having the ability to play some tackle if push comes to shove. Charles’ foot speed is fairly mediocre for a tackle and his length would be a challenge there, but at guard, his foot speed would be towards the top of the position group, and the pretty good hand usage he displayed in college would be put to good use.
