Carolina Panthers: 5 Storylines to watch in the 2020 season
By Zach Wilson
4. The Selected Seven
The Carolina Panthers completed a clean sweep of defensive players in this year’s draft. They went 7-for-7 and it was much needed after losing nine of their key defensive players in free agency.
The first pick was the most controversial of them all but it was a position which the Panthers needed to fill. With Isaiah Simmons remaining on the board, the Carolina front office went with Derrick Brown out of Auburn, a selection which not many Carolina fans were happy about.
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Simmons’ versatility is fantastic, and he should pan out to be a fantastic player at whatever position he gets slotted into. Brown, on the other hand, has one position and he plays it well. Brown is an absolute beast on the interior of the defensive line. He can plug holes, stop the run game, and even get after the quarterback. A big man who runs well and can read plays at a high level.
The next two selections were Yetur Gross-Matos from Penn State, and Jeremy Chinn out of Southern Illinois. Both of these players were looked at as steals and fringe first-round talents. They both should play a lot of snaps this season and will play a big role in the Panthers defense now and in the future.
The Panthers rounded out their draft with three more defensive backs and another interior lineman. The four other players selected had good college careers and look to be solid NFL prospects. They’ll likely see limited time this season but could be a big part moving forward.
With the transition into a younger defense, there will likely be a lot of growing pains, and unexperienced mistakes made. The main thing to look for here is the growth throughout the season amongst the rookies.
It would be unrealistic to expect Pro Bowl production from rookies but if the Panthers can get good play out of their year one guys, their defense could look to be in good hands for the future.