2019 NFL Mock Draft: Jets have edge, Browns get defensive in two-round projection

16. Carolina Panthers: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State

Montez Sweat is a player who is hard to figure out. He had great production at Mississippi State, but not all the scouts are sold on him. Take Jon Ledyard of The Draft Network as an example. Ledyard likes Sweat’s abilities overall, but believes he has a lot to work on to put up the kind of numbers he did at Mississippi State in the pros:

"“Sweat’s path to success as an NFL edge rusher is going to be with snap timing, hand technique and pass rush variety. He’s improved in all of those ways over his career at Mississippi State, but he still isn’t quite where you’d like him to be heading into the NFL. I think he’s a good, solid player with starting ability, but I don’t know that annual double-digit sacks is in his NFL future like it was in college.” — Ledyard, The Draft Network"

Sweat did have an incredibly impressive career and sack artists are usually highly coveted. That should definitely be the case for the Carolina Panthers who just got word that Julius Peppers is calling it a career. While Peppers wasn’t the same player for them as he was early in his career, that’s still a good player they need to replace and Sweat could help fill the void.