Panthers mock draft 1.0: Will Carolina select QB C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 pick?
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2023 NFL Draft
The Carolina Panthers hold the top pick in this year’s draft and there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the team and what it will do. Check out all our pre-draft coverage here.
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By trading for the No. 1 overall pick on Friday night, the Carolina Panthers took control of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Panthers packaged the ninth and 61st overall picks, plus their first-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025, to the Chicago Bears for the right to pick their new franchise quarterback. Bryce Young (Alabama), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) Anthony Richardson (Florida) and Will Levis (Kentucky) all have a case to be the top pick.
Carolina also picks at No. 39 (second round), No. 93 (third round), 114th and 132th (fourth round) and 145th (fifth round).
Here is The Observer’s first full mock draft.
First round: No. 1 pick
▪ Name: C.J. Stroud
▪ Position: QB
▪ School: Ohio State
Less than an hour after the Panthers’ trade with the Bears, Stroud overtook Young as the betting favorite to go No. 1 overall.
The two-time Heisman finalist very well could be who the Panthers are targeting. But the draft is still seven weeks away. Carolina will spend that time trying to come to a consensus between ownership, the front office and the coaching staff about who the team’s next quarterback should be.
Stroud can make every throw. He has prototypical quarterback size and showcased his athleticism during a thrilling 42-41 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Stroud likely has the highest floor and a Dak Prescott-like ceiling.
At the combine, Stroud said he’s been the best player in college football since 2021. Evaluators consider him a pinpoint distributor with clean mechanics and sound footwork. His eyes stay up and he attacks every coverage with a pre-snap plan.
As a redshirt sophomore this year he threw for 3,688 yards and 41 touchdown passes with six interceptions.
Second round: Pick No. 39
▪ Name: Josh Downs
▪ Position: WR
▪ School: North Carolina
Trading DJ Moore catapulted Carolina’s drafting of a wide receiver from a luxury to a necessity.
Before dealing the team’s No. 1 receiver, the No. 39 pick was prime for a tight end. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks five tight ends in the top 50. The Panthers need to add a playmaking tight end but now this pick should be a receiver.
There are a lot of names to watch. Jordan Addison (USC), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) and Zay Flowers (Boston College) are all expected to be drafted in the first round but would benefit Carolina if any were to fall.
North Carolina receiver Josh Downs should be available. Downs is a smooth route runner who keeps defensive backs guessing with a diverse set of release moves and in-route hesitations. His hands are strong and he plays bigger than his 171-pound frame suggests.
He caught 94 pass for 1,029 yards and scored 11 touchdowns this season.
Third round: Pick No. 93
▪ Name: BJ Ojulari
▪ Position: Edge rusher
▪ School: LSU
The brother of 2021 second-rounder and New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, BJ Ojulari shares a lot of the same traits as his older sibling.
Scouts are attracted to his speed and countermoves on the edge. His hands are quick and his pass-rushing moves are already refined. Ojulari can change directions during a pass rush, leaving offensive tackles grabbing air. He’s best as a speed-to-power rusher and would thrive in the Panthers’ new 3-4 scheme.
He recorded nine sacks and 26 hurries last season.
Fourth round: Pick No. 114
▪ Name: Luke Schoonmaker
▪ Position: TE
▪ School: Michigan
Schoonmaker projects as a large target (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) who proved himself as a run-blocker in Michigan’s downhill scheme but lacked opportunities in the passing game. That should change in the NFL. Schoonmaker is a traditional Y-tight end that showed smooth movements when running routes.
Fourth round: Pick No. 132
▪ Name: Tyrique Stevenson
▪ Position: CB
▪ School: Miami
Tyrique Stevenson entered the offseason as a Day 3 prospect but reportedly impressed evaluators at the Senior Bowl. He’s a Georgia transfer who started for the past two seasons at Miami. His physicality mixed with athleticism and natural prototype cornerback size will force him up draft boards.
Fifth round: Pick No. 145
▪ Name: Elijah Higgins
▪ Position: WR
▪ School: Stanford
Not often does a team draft multiple players at the same position but Carolina has arguably the weakest receiving room in the NFL.
Whether the Panthers target a big-bodied slot receiver like Higgins will depend on what the team has planned for third-year receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. If Carolina head coach Frank Reich wants to develop Marshall as an outside threat, Higgins could fill an important over-the-middle role. With Moore gone, Marshall playing outside would make sense.
He plays the physicality and toughness needed to run inside. Higgins might struggle to separate in the NFL due to his average speed and quickness.
This story was originally published March 13, 2023 at 12:42 PM with the headline "Panthers mock draft 1.0: Will Carolina select QB C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 pick?."
