Carolina Panthers begin post-Cam Newton life in 7-round 2020 mock draft
By Lucas Schuh
Amidst the NFL’s passing boom, teams need at least one good cornerback to be successful. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they currently have zero. James Bradberry left in free agency and Donte Jackson remains a raw prospect that has yet to reach the end stages of his development.
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Subsequently, Carolina should intensely be looking at a player who can be a No. 1 at the position for the long haul. One player who fits the mold for the type of cornerback that they need is Trevon Diggs, especially in the second round.
Diggs is a super physical player coming out of Alabama. The big man is terrific in press coverage as he has the length, strength and overall physical frame to bully and push around receivers of all sizes. He doesn’t possess elite speed but he’s solid in that regard. Furthermore, his press-man ability at the line of scrimmage alleviates any worries about his issues with speed. He’s also solid in zone coverage, though not as good as he is when dropping into man.
The Panthers’ cornerback situation leaves a lot to be desired. In order to fix that, they are going to need to invest valuable resources at the position, which is what they do here.
Make no mistake, Diggs won’t be a player who locks down his side of the field as a rookie but he can be solid right away and develop into a potentially elite player. His versatility and current trump cards make him tremendously valuable for Carolina’s defense in its current state.
Other Players Available: Noah Igbinoghene, A.J. Terrell, Justin Madibuke