Carolina Panthers Draft Grades

How did the Panthers do in the 2021 NFL Draft? We give the Carolina Panthers draft grades for every pick they made.

Round 1: No. 8, South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn

Jaycee Horn is an absolute freak of an athlete. His “worst” workout number was a 4.39 second 40 which only placed him in the 85th percentile of cornerbacks. Every other metric was in a high percentile. So he can run fast, change directions quickly, is strong and has long arms. I think Surtain II is more polished than Horn, and honestly I would have taken Surtain II before Horn, but I understand what Carolina sees in Horn. If he develops, he has the chance to be one of the best corners in the NFL.

Grade: B+

Round 2: No. 59, LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr

Big, fast, athletic, good hands, produced against top college talent. Why is Marshall Jr. going this late again? Apparently, there are some medical concerns, but I’ve heard about the extent of poking and prodding that prospects go through and I have to believe Carolina did it’s due diligence. As long as Marshall Jr. is healthy, this is a steal.

Grade: A

Round 3: No. 70, BYU OT Brady Christensen

I loved Brady Christensen coming out of college. He performed at an absolutely dominant level in college, though it was at BYU so the competition wasn’t top notch. Christensen also tested extremely well at his pro day. Other sites will ding this pick, but I think it’s fantastic.

Grade: A

No. 83, Notre Dame TE Tommy Tremble

I like Tommy Tremble, he’s a gifted athlete. I just noticed, seems like the Panthers really like athletes huh? This was early for Tremble, because he’s an all potential pick. He only started seven games in college. This guy could be the best tight end in the draft in a year or two, but he could also be out of the NFL in two or three years.

Grade: B

Round 4: No. 126, Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard

Chuba is only a good athlete, not a great athlete, what’s up Panthers? The Panthers run a zone running scheme which fits Hubbard perfectly. The Panthers are obviously set at starting running back with Christian McCaffrey, but we saw what happened to the offense when he got hurt. Hubbard is a good second running back for Carolina.

Grade: B

Round 5: No. 158, Iowa DT Daviyon Nixon

This is a steal for the Panthers. Both Draftdive analysts had Nixon rated very highly in their top 5 defensive tackle rankings. Nixon is an all around, three down defensive tackle. This past season he was a first team All-American, Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year, and Nagurski Trophy finalist. He ran a good 40 yard dash, but isn’t a freak athlete, maybe that’s why he fell so far? Whatever the reason, look for Nixon to be one of the few fifth round picks who makes an impact this year.

Grade: A+

No. 166, University of Washington CB Keith Taylor

Keith Taylor is a big cornerback with average athleticism. Taylor didn’t break up a lot of passes, but quarterbacks throwing against him didn’t find much success. He also was a standout in the Senior Bowl. He’s an interesting prospect because of his size and length.

Grade: B+

Round 6: No. 193, Alabama OG Deonte Brown

Huge guard, 334 lbs., who showed his athleticism on tape. He was expected to go much earlier, a great value pick. Played against top level competition, and was said to be the only guard who could slow down former first round defensive tackle Derrick Brown, his now teammate.

Grade: A+

No. 204, South Carolina WR Shi Smith

Shi Smith is a short, fast wide receiver out of South Carolina. Smith runs polished routes, but did have some character concerns off the field. He’s probably fifth on the Panthers wide receiver depth chart, but could be a fun option in the slot and seems like he could contribute on special teams.

Grade: B

No. 222, Alabama LS Thomas Fletcher

Look, long snapper is an important position but I wouldn’t draft one. Fletcher is the best long snapping prospect in this year’s draft. Believe it or not, I know former college and NFL special teamers. They all say that when there’s a change, it’s tough to get used to. Therefore, look for the Panthers to struggle on special teams early in the season.

Grade: C

Round 7: Kentucky No. 232, DT Phil Hoskins

He’s a big boy with exceptional length. Very good and quick feet for someone his size. Though he does have a worrisome injury history. He was also eligible for a 7th year this coming season, meaning he’s a little older than I like prospects to be. However, his nickname is “Big Snacc” so much respect to Mr. Hoskins.

Grade: B+