Piece by Alex Christ
With the conclusion of the NFL’s 86th annual draft selection meeting, it is time to review each team’s draft picks and analyze how these players could make an impact in their rookie season or take a few years to develop their skills in the NFL.
We will start with the NFC South division as the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, and Saints head into new futures for their franchises with unexpected changes during this offseason.
With the retirement of Drew Brees in New Orleans and Tom Brady’s sudden turnaround in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers look to repeat their success from last year despite not winning the NFC South division (last division title was in 2007). But, as the Panthers and Falcons look to rebuild their franchises under new management with Scott Fitterer as well as Terry Fontenot as first time general managers, could Matt Rhule or Arthur Smith lead their teams to a winning record in 2021 after Carolina and Atlanta lost at least 10 games last season?
The next team in the NFC South we will analyze will be… the Carolina Panthers!
Scott Fitterer’s/Carolina Panthers 2021 NFL Draft Grades/Analysis:
Day 1:
8th overall pick (1st round): Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina. This was a move that surprised me after hearing many mock drafts projecting for Fitterer to draft Rashawn Slater or Patrick Surtain II, but the Panthers still selected a decent cornerback in Jaycee Horn from South Carolina.
The son of four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, Joe Horn, Jaycee was named a second team All-SEC selection after grabbing two interceptions and deflecting six passes in his junior season with the Gamecocks. But, in his freshman and sophomore campaigns at South Carolina, Horn proved his versatility as a defensive back with 85 tackles (10 for a loss; 7 TFL’s, 3 sacks), 17 pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.
With the offseason additions of Pro Bowl cornerback A.J. Bouye, Rashaan Melvin as well as Jaycee Horn, Carolina’s secondary unit should improve in 2021 after finishing with the NFL’s 18th ranked passing defense last year and Horn should benefit from the veteran experience as well as pairing with 2020 rookie sensation, Jeremy Chinn, who finished as the runner-up for the Defensive Rookie of the Year last season.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B-
*NFL Draft History Note: Jaycee Horn is the highest defensive back prospect drafted from South Carolina since Dunta Robinson (Texans) and Stephon Gilmore (Bills) were selected with the 10th overall pick in their respective drafts (Robinson in the 2004 NFL Draft, Gilmore in the 2012 NFL Draft).
Day 2:
59th overall pick (2nd round, trade with Cleveland): Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU. After wide receiver Curtis Samuel signed with Washington prior to the NFL Draft, Scott Fitterer used his second round draft pick on wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. from LSU to replace Samuel’s presence on Carolina’s receiving corps.
The nephew of former Pro Bowl running back, Joe Delaney, Marshall scored 23 touchdowns in his last two seasons with the Tigers after catching only 12 passes as a freshman in 2018. As a backup to All-SEC selections Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase in 2019, Terrace Marshall Jr. led LSU’s receiving corps with 48 receptions for 731 yards and 10 receiving TD’s (3rd most in the SEC) in 2020 after Chase opted out before the start of the season.
With Robby Anderson as well as D.J. Moore returning in 2021 after becoming the first Panthers wide receiver duo to have 1,000 receiving yards each in the same season since Muhsin Muhammad and Patrick Jeffers in 1999, Marshall Jr. could be a sneaky addition to Carolina’s offensive attack after serving in the same role during LSU’s run to the national championship in 2019 when he was coached by the Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady (Brady served as the Tigers’ WR coach and passing game coordinator in 2019).
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B
*NFL Draft History Note: Terrace Marshall Jr. and Brandon LaFell are the only two wide receivers the Panthers have selected from LSU since their first draft in 1995 (LaFell was drafted 78th overall in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft).
73rd overall pick (3rd round, trade with Philadelphia): Brady Christensen, OT, BYU. After passing on Rashawn Slater in the first round, Scott Fitterer addressed the Panthers offensive line with his first pick in the third round on offensive tackle Brady Christensen from BYU.
The first Cougar offensive lineman to earn consensus All-American honors since Mo Elewonibi in 1989, Christensen earned the honor in 2020 after starting 38 games at BYU including 28 starts with Zach Wilson as his quarterback since 2018.
With the offseason additions of Pat Elflein as well as Cameron Erving on Carolina’s offensive line, Brady Christensen will have to impress Matt Rhule and his coaching staff during training camp to make the Panthers final 53-man roster at the end of the preseason.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B+
*NFL Draft History Note: Brady Christensen is the first Panthers prospect to be selected from BYU and is the first Cougar offensive lineman to be drafted since Scott Young in 2005, who was selected in the 5th round by the Philadelphia Eagles (appeared in only 14 games in three NFL seasons, but didn’t start a game).
83rd overall pick (3rd round, trade with Chicago): Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame. After three-time Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen departed for Seattle in 2020, the Panthers struggled to find his replacement last season, but Scott Fitterer used his second pick in the third round on tight end Tommy Tremble from Notre Dame to compete for the starting tight end position in training camp along with Ian Thomas and free agent Dan Arnold from the Cardinals.
The son of Super Bowl XXX champion, Greg Tremble, Tommy was an All-ACC honorable mention while playing with the Fighting Irish, but only caught 35 passes and scored four touchdowns in his two years at Notre Dame.
With Arnold coming off a productive season in Arizona, Tommy Tremble will have to compete against Thomas in training camp to earn the second string tight end position on Carolina’s offense, in which Tremble could demonstrate his superb blocking ability to Matt Rhule and his coaching staff.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: C+
*NFL Draft History Note: Tommy Tremble is the 7th tight end drafted from Notre Dame since 2010 and is the first tight end selected in the third round from Notre Dame in the history of the NFL Draft.
Day 3:
126th overall pick (4th round, trade with Tennessee): Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State. After an All-Pro season from Christian McCaffrey in 2019, the Panthers struggled to produce the same rushing attack last season after McCaffrey was only limited to three games due to injury. But, after Mike Davis (who started 12 games in 2020) signed a contract with Atlanta prior to the NFL Draft, Scott Fitterer decided to use his 4th round pick on running back Chuba Hubbard from Oklahoma State to serve as McCaffrey’s backup in 2021.
The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, Hubbard also earned unanimous All-American honors as well after becoming the first Cowboys running back to rush over 2,000 yards in a season since Barry Sanders in 1988. However, after his historic 2019 campaign, Chuba Hubbard only managed to rush for 625 rushing yards with six offensive TD’s in seven games at Oklahoma State in 2020, but earned a spot on the second team All-Big 12 roster.
If McCaffrey’s injury concerns become troublesome during the preseason, Hubbard could have the chance to prove to Matt Rhule to use a two-back system similar to the other running back duos in the NFC South over the last several years.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B+
*NFL Draft History Note: Prior to the Panthers drafting Chuba Hubbard and the Ravens selection of Hubbard’s teammate in 2018, Justice Hill, the last running back to be drafted from Oklahoma State in the 4th round of the NFL Draft was Kendall Hunter, who was selected 115th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
158th overall pick (5th round, trade with Houston): Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa. After a productive season from the Panthers first two draft picks in 2020, Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos, Scott Fitterer added another young defensive lineman on Carolina’s defense by using his first pick in the 5th round on defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon from Iowa.
The first defensive tackle to win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year since Devon Still from Penn State in 2011, Nixon led the Big Ten with 14 tackles for a loss and finished with 5.5 sacks in eight games for the Hawkeyes in 2020 after transferring from Iowa Western Community College before the start of the 2018 season.
With the offseason acquisitions of playoff veterans Morgan Fox as well as DaQuan Jones on the Panthers defensive line, Daviyon Nixon should benefit from the experiences of his teammates during training camp and might be able to make his case to become a piece of Carolina’s defensive rotation on the 53 man roster.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B+
*NFL Draft History Note: Before selecting Nixon in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the last defensive player the Panthers drafted from the University of Iowa was Charles Godfrey, who was selected in the 3rd round of the 2008 NFL Draft and had a career high five interceptions during the 2010 NFL season with Carolina.
166th overall pick (5th round, trade with Tennessee): Keith Taylor, CB, Washington. After slightly reaching for Jaycee Horn with his first round pick, Scott Fitterer used his last pick in the 5th round on cornerback Keith Taylor from Washington to add another piece to the Panthers secondary unit.
After recording only 22 tackles in his first two years with the Huskies, Taylor had a breakout season as a junior in 2019 with 59 tackles (2 TFL’s) along with five pass deflections before starting in just four games with Washington in 2020 due to schedule complications associated with Covid-19.
With all of the competition on Carolina’s secondary unit this offseason, Keith Taylor might find himself as a gunner on the Panthers special teams unit to start the season, but could mold into a future starter with his 6’3 frame as a defensive back.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: C
*NFL Draft History Note: Prior to drafting Taylor in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the last defensive prospect the Panthers selected from the University of Washington in Day 3 of the draft was Lester Towns, who was drafted in the 7th round of the 2000 NFL Draft and started 29 games in his first two seasons with Carolina.
193rd overall pick (6th round): Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama. After drafting All-American offensive tackle Brady Christensen in the 3rd round, Scott Fitterer used his first selection in the 6th round on offensive guard Deonte Brown from Alabama to add more depth on the Panthers offensive line.
A first team All-SEC selection in 2020, Deonte Brown started only 13 games in his sophomore and junior years with the Crimson Tide before becoming a reliable starter during Alabama’s run to the national championship last season (Brown also was a member of Alabama’s national championship squad in 2017, but didn’t start a game).
With all of the offseason additions to Carolina’s offense, Deonte Brown might start out on the Panthers special teams unit (similar to his freshman season at Alabama in 2017), but could develop into a solid backup replacement for Matt Rhule to plug in when necessary.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B
*NFL Draft History Note: Deonte Brown is only the third offensive lineman from Alabama to be selected in the 6th round in the history of the NFL Draft (Bradley Bozemann by the Ravens in 2018, Herb Hannah by the Giants in 1951).
204th overall pick (6th round, trade with Chicago): Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina. After addressing the absence of Curtis Samuel in the 2nd round by drafting Terrace Marshall Jr., Scott Fitterer used his second pick in the 6th round on wide receiver Shi Smith from South Carolina to add some speed and depth on his receiving corps.
A second team All-SEC selection in 2020, Smith caught 145 passes in his final three years with the Gamecocks while scoring 10 touchdowns and finished his career at South Carolina with more receptions than Gamecock legend Sterling Sharpe (Smith had 174 catches and Sharpe had 169 catches during their careers at South Carolina).
With former Seahawk wide receiver David Moore joining the Panthers receiving corps, Smith might start out as a returner on the Panthers special teams unit, but could showcase his receiving ability to Matt Rhule in the preseason in order to see some playing time on Carolina’s offense in the regular season.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B-
*NFL Draft History Note: Prior to drafting Jaycee Horn and Shi Smith from South Carolina in this year’s draft, the last time the Panthers drafted a defensive player in Day 1 of the NFL Draft and an offensive player in Day 3 of the NFL Draft from the same school was in 2004 when Carolina selected defensive back Chris Gamble (28th overall) and wide receiver Drew Carter in the 5th round from Ohio State.
222nd overall pick (6th round): Thomas Fletcher, LS, Alabama. After drafting Keith Taylor in the 5th round to contribute on the Panthers special teams unit, Scott Fitterer added another piece to Carolina’s special teams by using his last draft pick on long snapper Thomas Fletcher from Alabama.
The second recipient of the Patrick Mannelly Award (given to the best long snapper in college football), Fletcher was a four-year starter with the Crimson Tide and contributed during Alabama’s run to the national championship in 2017 as well as 2020.
Despite resigning their long snapper from last season, J.J. Jansen, before the NFL Draft, Fletcher should find his role on the Panthers special teams unit during the offseason and contribute on Carolina’s special teams.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: B-
*NFL Draft History Note: Thomas Fletcher is the first true special teams player drafted from the University of Alabama in the 6th round of the NFL Draft since punter Chris Mohr was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1989 NFL Draft.
232nd overall pick (7th round, trade with Tennessee): Phil Hoskins, DT, Kentucky. After selecting All-American defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon in the 5th round, Scott Fitterer used his last pick in his first NFL Draft on defensive tackle Phil Hoskins from Kentucky to add more depth on the Panthers defensive line.
After battling a knee injury in 2019, Hoskins became a starter on the Wildcats defense in 2020 for the first time since transferring from Highland Community College in Kansas prior to the start of the 2017 season. In his 11 starts during the 2020 season, Hoskins had 30 tackles (including four tackles for a loss and a sack) and recorded his only interception of his college career after he had a productive year in 2018 with three TFL’s and three sacks in limited action.
With their offseason additions to their defensive line, Phil Hoskins will have to impress Matt Rhule and his coaching staff during training camp to make Carolina’s 53 man roster unless he is placed on the Panthers practice squad to start the season.
Alex Christ’s Draft Grade: C
*NFL Draft History Note: Phil Hoskins is the first Panthers prospect to be drafted from the University of Kentucky and is the first Wildcat to be selected in the 7th round of the NFL Draft since wide receiver Steve Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Final Draft Grade/Analysis: My final draft grade for the Carolina Panthers and their new general manager, Scott Fitterer, is a… B-. After reaching for Jaycee Horn and Tommy Tremble in the first two days of the draft, Fitterer made several big moves to acquire Terrace Marshall Jr. and Brady Christensen via trades before drafting two All-American players back-to-back with his first two picks in Day 3 of the draft in Chuba Hubbard as well as Daviyon Nixon.
Deonte Brown and Shi Smith could become contributors on Carolina’s offense eventually, but they might start out on the Panthers special teams unit along with Thomas Fletcher as well as Keith Taylor and Phil Hoskins.
Fitterer might have drafted four potential opening day starters with his selections (Horn, Marshall Jr., Christensen, Nixon), but the Panthers have a lot of players who need to show their potential to Matt Rhule and his coaching staff during training camp in order to prove that they deserve a spot on Carolina’s final 53-man roster.
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