2020 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins score Joe Burrow in all-trades chaos edition
10. 87. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. IDL. Auburn. Derrick Brown. player
(Pick via Browns)
It’s anyone’s guess what the Carolina Panthers actually plan to do in the 2020 NFL Draft. As buzz grew that they were going to part with Cam Newton and with linebacker Luke Kuechly shockingly retiring this offseason, throwing in that they hired Matt Rhule and Joe Brady from the college ranks, everything pointed to this team starting a rebuild.
But as the draft is approaching, that seems less the case than it once did. The Panthers inked Teddy Bridgewater to a lucrative three-year contract, signed Christian McCaffrey to a record-setting extension and seem like they want to be competitive in the 2020 season. How realistic that is remains to be seen.
What the internal direction this team is headed in notwithstanding, taking Derrick Brown is likely in their best interest. In all honesty, they would probably love for this to be the case where they could trade down from No. 7 and still grab the Auburn defensive tackle.
No matter how they land him, though, the Panthers lack a disruptive presence on their defensive line right now, at least in the ilk of Brown. Yes, he’s not a twitched-up athlete like some other players in the class but Brown is an absolute bully that man-handled SEC competition. He’ll be able to do so in the NFL as well and would be a valuable cog in a sneaky young, quality defense for Carolina.