SB Nation mock draft: Panthers snag versatile LB at No. 8
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Shoring up the linebacker corps will be key if Carolina wants to be competitive this season. The Panthers looked like an absolute mess to begin the 2024 season. Bryce Young’s play was so underwhelming to begin the year that he wound up benched for Andy Dalton for several games before returning to the lineup reinvigorated. Still, Young ended the year with just 15 touchdown passes to nine interceptions in 12 starts. If the Panthers want to turn their fortunes around fast, they absolutely must get more from Young in Year 3. With that in mind, where exactly did the Panthers go with the eighth pick in this year’s SB Nation Community Mock Draft? From Cat Scratch Reader’s Walker Clement himself, the Panthers chose to go with Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell to help solidify their defense over reinforcing the offense. 8.) Carolina Panthers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama Clement: The Carolina Panthers spent the 2024 season unable to stop either the run or the pass against even the weakest offenses. Campbell’s ability to play outside and inside in Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 hybrid scheme makes him an unparalleled choice. He can improve the Panthers’ defense at every level. No other individual player can make that claim. Analysis: This pairing is something I’ve had in my head for awhile now but I could never find myself willing to pair them together in any mock draft exercise simply due to not believing any linebacker in this class is worth being taken this high. The Panthers moved on from veteran Shaq Thompson earlier this offseason and now have an inside linebacker group led by Josey Jewell and Christian Rozeboom. Behind them are a bunch of players the casual fan has probably never heard of. Carolina has notable names at all levels of the defense except in the middle. Campbell gives them a versatile player with great speed (4.52 40 time) and good length (32 1/2” arms, 10 1/2” hands) who’s coming off a productive season leading the Crimson Tide defense (11 tackles for loss, five sacks, interception). Carolina will be betting on Campbell’s notable physical traits as a sideline-to-sideline talent with a pick this high. Most of Campbell’s red flags come from a lack of physicality at the point of attack, as well as notes on him playing too much with “tunnel vision.” At around 235 pounds, he’s going to be more of a run-and-chase backer than a true field general like former Panthers legend Luke Kuechly. Side note: NFL.com’s lead draft analyst Lance Zierlein has Campbell’s professional comp coincidentally as current Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace. Top five remaining players: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Malaki Starks, S Georgia The Panthers went with a player at one of their biggest needs over going the route of best player available. Selecting Campbell tells us Clement believes the team is fine enough elsewhere, including wide receiver and tight end, as both the top players at each of those positions remains available. New Orleans is up next with three very good offensive players still available for first-time head coach Kellen Moore to choose from.
Shoring up the linebacker corps will be key if Carolina wants to be competitive this season.
The Panthers looked like an absolute mess to begin the 2024 season. Bryce Young’s play was so underwhelming to begin the year that he wound up benched for Andy Dalton for several games before returning to the lineup reinvigorated. Still, Young ended the year with just 15 touchdown passes to nine interceptions in 12 starts. If the Panthers want to turn their fortunes around fast, they absolutely must get more from Young in Year 3.
With that in mind, where exactly did the Panthers go with the eighth pick in this year’s SB Nation Community Mock Draft? From Cat Scratch Reader’s Walker Clement himself, the Panthers chose to go with Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell to help solidify their defense over reinforcing the offense.
8.) Carolina Panthers: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Clement: The Carolina Panthers spent the 2024 season unable to stop either the run or the pass against even the weakest offenses. Campbell’s ability to play outside and inside in Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 hybrid scheme makes him an unparalleled choice. He can improve the Panthers’ defense at every level. No other individual player can make that claim.
Analysis: This pairing is something I’ve had in my head for awhile now but I could never find myself willing to pair them together in any mock draft exercise simply due to not believing any linebacker in this class is worth being taken this high.
The Panthers moved on from veteran Shaq Thompson earlier this offseason and now have an inside linebacker group led by Josey Jewell and Christian Rozeboom. Behind them are a bunch of players the casual fan has probably never heard of. Carolina has notable names at all levels of the defense except in the middle. Campbell gives them a versatile player with great speed (4.52 40 time) and good length (32 1/2” arms, 10 1/2” hands) who’s coming off a productive season leading the Crimson Tide defense (11 tackles for loss, five sacks, interception).
Carolina will be betting on Campbell’s notable physical traits as a sideline-to-sideline talent with a pick this high. Most of Campbell’s red flags come from a lack of physicality at the point of attack, as well as notes on him playing too much with “tunnel vision.” At around 235 pounds, he’s going to be more of a run-and-chase backer than a true field general like former Panthers legend Luke Kuechly.
Side note: NFL.com’s lead draft analyst Lance Zierlein has Campbell’s professional comp coincidentally as current Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace.
Top five remaining players:
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
- Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
- Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
- Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
- Malaki Starks, S Georgia
The Panthers went with a player at one of their biggest needs over going the route of best player available. Selecting Campbell tells us Clement believes the team is fine enough elsewhere, including wide receiver and tight end, as both the top players at each of those positions remains available.
New Orleans is up next with three very good offensive players still available for first-time head coach Kellen Moore to choose from.
