Is Abdul Carter out of reach for the Panthers? Three other names to watch at No. 8

It is not easy trying to rank the Carolina Panthers‘ defensive needs, especially when the unit is coming off a season in which it gave up the most points in NFL history. Fortunately, for general manager Dan Morgan, there are more than a handful of talented defensive prospects that he take a long, hard look at with the 8th pick in the draft.

Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter has been someone who’s been mocked to the Panthers in several mock drafts in recent weeks and would give Carolina a long-term solution off the edge. His stock skyrocketed after his dominant performance in the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame. He finished the night with five tackles, one sack, and one pass defended, but pressured QB Riley Leonard all night long and made things very uncomfortable for him in the pocket.

Assuming, he’s off the board before Carolina is on the clock, here are a few other prospects the Panthers should consider selecting.

McMillian is the clear-cut top receiver of this draft class, in my opinion. He’s a three-level threat who has great body control, sure hands, and runs crisp routes. I’m not so sure he will make it to No. 8 either, but if he does, Carolina will have the opportunity to get Bryce Young a bonafide WR1.

The Panthers already have one of the top interior players in the NFL in Derrick Brown, but pairing him with Mason Graham would give Carolina a nasty defensive front. Dan Morgan wants to build this thing through the trenches and could care less about making a splashy pick. If Graham is there, he’ll get strong consideration. He has the toughness and physicality that he and head coach Dave Canales are looking for.

There are a handful of edge rushers at the top of this draft who are worth considering after Abdul Carter, but trying to figure out who the next best prospect at the position is would be like splitting hairs. Williams, James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), and Nic Scourton (Texas A&M) are in their own little cluster fighting to be that guy. Williams, though, seems like the best overall fit for Ejiro Evero’s defense. He can get after the passer (9.5 sacks over the last two seasons), but can also set the edge and be a factor against the run.

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