The NFL draft wrapped up this weekend with many players from North and South Carolina hearing their names called. The 2024 draft was a first for Carolina Panthers' new general manager Dan Morgan.
Mike Kaye covers the Panthers for the Charlotte Observer. He tells WFAE’s Gwendolyn Glenn that Morgan and his team did well in addressing their long and short-term needs, starting with the first pick being wide receiver Xavier Legette.
Mike Kaye: What they got there is a playmaker who's big and fast, but they also selected him in the first round, which means they get a fifth-year option. So, if he plays very well, they have him cost-controlled not only for the first four years of his career, but the fifth year as well. So, I think they've been able to cost-control their cap space with that top pick with Xavier.
Gwendolyn Glenn: And Xavier Leggett came from USC, the Gamecocks in Colombia. What about running backs? How did they do there?
Kaye: Well, with Jonathan Brooks, they got him from Texas. He tore his ACL in November, but he's on pace to recover in time for training camp, which is huge. He's a guy who's got a lot of good vision in the tackle box, and he’s shifty.
Glenn: What else did they get, because one thing that the Panthers have always been criticized for is they don't have a strong offensive line to protect the quarterback. What else did they get in terms of that line?
Kaye: Well, they didn't spend a draft pick on the offensive line after spending a lot of money on Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, two guards in their prime in free agency. They'll bring in some guys, probably over the next couple of weeks, either undrafted free agents or veteran free agents, probably to solidify that line. And I think they felt good enough that they didn't feel like they needed to spend a draft pick there, which was somewhat surprising going into the draft.
Glenn: Were there any other surprises in terms of the picks that they made?
Kaye: Well, not as much a surprise, as much as gaining great value to Ja’Tavion Sanders, Brooks's teammate from Texas. He is a guy who was held in very high regard by draft analysts. He is a guy who can be a very big playmaker in the mold of Greg Olsen. He's more of like a wide receiver, tight end hybrid — very good value there. And I think the Panthers are very excited about being able to get him where they did.
Glenn: Looking at who they drafted this past weekend, how are they going to pair up against those who are already on the team? And do you see anybody's position being in jeopardy?
Kaye: Well, I think Jonathan Mingo, the second-round pick from last year is kind of facing some odds as far as becoming a starter for the Panthers. They traded for Diontae Johnson and then they drafted Xavier Legette in the first round. So, after Mingo had kind of an underwhelming rookie year, it looks like he might take a back seat and be maybe that fourth wide receiver behind Johnson, Legette, and Adam Thielen, who was coming off a 100-catch 1,000-yard season. I think when you look at the tight end position, Tommy Tremble, somebody they really, really like, I think when you look at two tight end sets, they might opt to use Tremble and Sanders. And that might make Ian Thomas, a longtime Panther, take a back seat. And then I think from the running back standpoint, anytime you spend a second-round pick on a running back, you're going to want them to play and play early, even if you're going to ease them back in with that ACL injury. And so I think Brooks is going to provide quite the challenge for Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.
Glenn: OK. Well, let's talk about some of the North and South Carolina players who ended up in the draft. You mentioned already, South Carolina’s Xavier Leggett who's going to the Panthers. Who are some of the others? What about Ardrey Kell’s — also UNC’s — Cedrick Gray?
Kaye: Cedric Gray is a guy who a lot of NFL evaluators say is a really good special team standout. He lasts til day three and went to the Titans. He's going to have to make his career through special teams to start off with.
Glenn: And what about wide receiver Tess Walker, also from UNC? He went with the Ravens.
Kaye: I think he's a really good fit for that offense. You know, they did not re-sign Odell Beckham Jr. Walker’s a guy who can stretch the field.
Glenn: And what about, also another UNC player, quarterback Drake Maye, who everybody was watching, where he was going to go. He was the number three pick overall.
Kaye: Yeah, he went to New England. I think he is a really good asset to have for what Jerod Mayo's trying to build in his first year as a head coach. Maye’s got a lot of upside. He's extremely athletic. He can make every throw, especially downfield.
Glenn: And also from North Carolina, Jacob Monk went to the Packers and Dylan McMahon went to the Eagles. What about the South Carolina side? We've already talked about Xavier, but what other Gamecocks got drafted? And what about Clemson players?
Kaye: Interesting with Clemson players Will Shipley and Jeremiah Trotter. Both went to the Eagles, so they'll join McMahon out there. And then, you know, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler went to the Saints, a perfect fit for him. He can learn behind Derek Carr as a backup quarterback.
Glenn: Now of all in this class of 2024 draft, who do you see as really standing out once they get out there in the preseason and official games — the ones from North Carolina and South Carolina?
Kaye: Tess Walker went a little bit later than a lot of people expected, but I think he is a speed-threat wide receiver. I think Walker is a guy who can really capitalize on being with a team (the Baltimore Ravens) that can throw the ball deep. Lamar Jackson (quarterback) has a deep ball that is as pretty as anybody's in the NFL.
Glenn: And you didn't say Drake Maye!
Kaye: Well, I think with Drake it's a wait and see approach. I think living up to that number three overall pick is going to be difficult, right? But for Walker who fell the way he did to day three, I think the upside is tremendous.
