Panthers prioritize offense in well-balanced NFL Draft class

By Clark Gerber, WRAL Sports Contributor

Seven players, seven rounds and six different positions.

The Panthers spread the love in general manager Dan Morgan's first-ever NFL draft. And while they did address all three levels of the defense, it was clear that their top priority was on the other side of the ball.

Carolina's offense generated only 38 plays of 20+ yards in 2023. Only the New England Patriots finished with fewer.

In order to hopefully fix that, Morgan dedicated his first pick on each day of the draft to a skill position player. And he certainly had a type.

Receiver Xavier Legette, running back Jonathon Brooks and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders are all super-athletic prospects who could develop into a mismatch nightmare for defenses at the next level.

In other words, if everything goes right, these are players that can transform a plodding and lifeless Panthers offense into an explosive and exciting unit led by quarterback Bryce Young.

Clearly, that's what the Panthers wanted to get out of this draft. Time will tell if they succeeded.

Round 1 - Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

With time winding down on night one, Dan Morgan decided he couldn't wait anymore.

Carolina snuck back into the first round via trade with the Buffalo Bills and drafted Legette, who has been telling anyone who would listen that the Panthers wanted to draft him at No. 33 (which was their original pick).

Turns out, he was exactly right, just one spot off.

It's easy to see why the Panthers like what they see in Legette. He's 6'1", 221 lbs, which is big for a wide receiver, and ran a blazing fast 4.39 40-yard dash.

Sometimes, straight-line speed like that doesn't translate to the football field. That's not a problem for Xavier Legette.

He was South Carolina's most explosive and versatile playmaker last season, drawing several comparisons to another former Gamecock, Deebo Samuel.

New Panthers head coach Dave Canales was obviously sold.

Legette caught 71 passes for 1,255 yards and 7 touchdowns as a senior, earning himself 2nd team All-SEC honors. Oh, and he's got good hands too.

So in summary, Legette is big, he's fast and the Panthers were obviously in love with him.

Seems like a solid pick with high upside. Hard to argue against that.

Round 2 - Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas

Day two of the draft was highlighted by three Panthers trades.

With the first two, Carolina picked up a 2025 second round pick from the LA Rams, then traded back up to select Brooks.

Brooks is the first running back to go off the board in this year's draft, and it's easy to see why. He averaged better than 6 yards per carry for the Longhorns last season, topping 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Brooks' season was cut short when he tore his ACL in November. It is still unclear when he will return to action and what it will mean for the Panthers' committee in the backfield.

Chuba Hubbard is currently slated to be the team's starting running back, with (expensive) veteran Miles Sanders serving as the backup.

Sanders was disappointing last season (his first in Carolina), so he could be the odd man out once Brooks is fully healthy.

Round 3 - Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky

If there was one head-scratcher in this Carolina class, it was probably this Wallace pick.

Off-ball linebacker was not one of the Panthers biggest needs coming in, nor is it considered a "premium" position by most NFL teams.

However, Dan Morgan is a former linebacker himself, and clearly sees the value in bringing in a player like Wallace, who can run sideline-to-sideline and make plays in the run and pass game.

Wallace ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, which was the fourth fastest among linebackers at this year's combine.

He's got the size and speed to be a productive NFL player, but with Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell already in place, he'll likely start his career as a backup.

Round 4 - Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

The Panthers haven't had a tight end reach 25 catches or 200 receiving yards since Greg Olsen left town in 2020.

Part of the offense's problem last season was the lack of an over-the-middle threat, and Sanders seems to have the skill set to fix that.

Sanders is a big target at 6'4" 245 lbs. who specializes against zone-coverage looks, has good hands and makes plays in traffic.

He topped 600 yards in each of his last two seasons at Texas, totaling 7 touchdowns and earning first-team All-Big 12 honors twice.

Round 5 - Chau Smith-Wade, CB, Washington State

Cornerback was certainly an area of need for Carolina entering the draft, especially after trading away Donte Jackson last month.

In Chau Smith-Wade, the Panthers are getting a smart, experienced player who plays with good fundamentals.

Smith-Wade was never really a star in college, tallying only 3 interceptions in his college career.

He also lacks ideal speed for a cornerback and is a bit undersized at 5'9".

However, Smith-Wade does show good agility and awareness, especially against zone coverage, and has good timing and toughness that make him a difficult matchup for opposing receivers.

Round 6 - Jaden Crumedy, DT, Mississippi State

Crumedy is a versatile player, who could fill a variety of roles in the Panthers' 3-4 scheme.

He can play outside and set the edge against opposing offensive tackles in the run game, and also has the burst and mobility to be an interior pass rusher.

In 2023, Crumedy notched 35 tackles for Mississippi State, with 3.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and 2 pass deflections.

Round 7 - Michael Barrett, LB, Michigan

True to his roots, Dan Morgan closed out his first draft class with another linebacker.

And in Barrett, the Panthers are getting an experienced leader who is used to winning football.

The 24-year old finished his career with the most games played (64) in Michigan program history and helped the Wolverines win a national championship last season with 65 tackles, 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.

Barrett is a bit small for an NFL linebacker, but he does play with excellent effort, and has very good hit power.