All of the professional mock drafters are releasing their final revisions with the draft upon us.
Twas the day before the NFL Draft, and all around the Internet, the prognosticators and pontificators tidied up their mocks in the hopes that they would be the best pretend drafter of them all. Every person who is or claims to be an NFL Draft expert has been releasing their final mock drafts in the days leading up to the real thing. We read them all to hold us over knowing full well we’ll forget every single one of them by the time all the real picks are completed Saturday afternoon.
As we get closer to the draft, predictions for the Panthers’ selection at eight overall are getting increasingly narrow. That would make this roundup significantly less fun, but with the draft so close, a lot of people have stretched themselves multiple rounds deep. There are a lot of picks to be rounded up, so let us waste no more time.
NFL.com
Eric Edholm
8: Jalon Walker, LB/Edge, Georgia
Let’s go ahead and get the Walker train rolling. Edholm is NFL dot com’s lead draft analyst, but he only goes one round deep. He sets the precedent of the Panthers going with the versatile hybrid/tweener Georgia defender. The reported connection between Walker his childhood hometown team has gotten progressively stronger as the draft approaches, and Edholm (and just about everyone else) is rolling with that in his mock.
Daniel Jeremiah
8: Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
Jeremiah has Walker going fifth overall to the Jaguars, who have been a common landing spot for the Michigan defensive tackle. Graham would create dominate interior pairing with Derrick Brown.
Chad Reuter
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
57: Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
74: Nohl Williams, CB, Cal
111: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
114: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
140: Omar Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee
146: Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
163: Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada
230: Bru McCoy, WR, Tennessee
Reuter stays status quo with the Walker selection. He uses most of the draft to fill holes on the defense, but there are some wide receiver shots and an offensive lineman in there for good measure. And we know how well a 2nd round receiver from Ole Miss worked last time for the Panthers.
ESPN
NFL Nation Mock (David Newton representing Panthers)
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
Newton goes with trusty dusty Jalon Walker at eighth overall. Mason Graham was still on the board for consideration as well.
Jordan Reid
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
57: Jaylin Noel. WR, Iowa State
74: Bradyn Swinson, Edge, LSU
111: Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
114: Cameron Williams, OT, Texas
140: Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State
146: Jordan James. RB, Oregon
163: Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State
230: Tim Smith, DT, Alabama
Reid also goes with Walker to help the Panthers pedestrian front seven. He adds a couple of offensive pieces throughout the rest of the draft while focusing on the front seven defensively. Swinson adds depth on the pass rush as the leading sack getter for LSU last season.
Mel Kiper/Field Yates
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
57: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
74: Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Trapilo makes his second appearance and shows how unpredictable the draft can be. Chad Reuter had the Panthers landing Trapilo with the 111th pick while Field Yates has him going 57th. Either way, the Panthers try to shore up the trenches on both sides of the ball.
The Athletic
Joe Person
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
52 (via mock trade): Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
74: Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
114: Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State
120 (via mock trade): Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech
140: Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn
163: Jared Ivey, Edge, Ole Miss
178 (via mock trade): Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
230: Eugene Asante; LB, Auburn
Person does a little wheeling and dealing to move up to land safety Xavier Watts. He moves back later on to pick up an extra pick. He spreads his picks all over both sides of the ball with a couple of should-be starters in the first two rounds. And our buddy Ozzy makes another appearance in a different round.
Pro Football Focus
PFF.com (Panthers represented by Andrew Shaver)
8: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
57: Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Ole Miss
74: Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
111: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
114: Seth McLaughlin. C, Ohio State
140: Smael Mondon Jr., LB, Georgia
146: Tyler Baron, Edge, Miami
163: Jalen Rivers, OT, Miami
230: Marques Sigle, S, Kansas State
I don’t know if Shaver is a Miami fan or if he thinks Dan Morgan is going to be partial to his alma mater, but there are a lot of Hurricanes coming to Carolina in this mock. More importantly, Shaver passes on Jalon Walker (who fell all the way to 22 in that mock) to take a corner to pair with Jaycee Horn.
Walter Football
Walter Cherepinsky
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
57: Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State
74: Jared Wilson, C, Georgia
111: Bru McCoy, WR, Tennessee
114: Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
140: Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers
146: Ryan Fitzgerald, K, Florida State
163: David Walker, Edge, Central Arkansas
230: Que Robinson, Edge, Alabama
Walter triples down on pass rush help and adds a second round defensive tackle for good measure. He knows what’s up. Also props for the kicker pick in the fifth round. Currently journeyman Matthew Wright (who has joined a new team 18 times since 2019) is the only kicker on the roster.
Tankathon
8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
57: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
74: Shemar Turner, DL, Texas A&M
111: Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State
114: Smael Mondon Jr;, LB, Georgia
We wrap it up with yet another mock sending Jalon Walker to the Panthers. It almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. Jaylin Noel gives the Panthers an heir apparent in the slot while the next three picks address each level of the defense.