Carolina Panthers: 11 defensive prospects to watch at the Senior Bowl

The Carolina Panthers are one of two teams who will be coaching in this year’s Senior Bowl, giving them an up-close look at some of the top prospects in the draft. On offense, we had already identified 11 players worth watching, and that was before learning Mac Jones will join the group of quarterbacks to be coached by Matt Rhule’s staff.

While the team’s quarterback situation is far from ideal, they still need a ton of help on defense. Today, let’s examine 11 defensive prospects to keep an eye on next Saturday in Mobile.

Elijah Molden, CB, Washington: 5-foot-10, 190 lbs

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Molden has solidified himself as one of the best hybrid defensive backs in the country. He aligns everywhere in the secondary for the Huskies but will likely see a healthy mix of snaps at single high safety and nickel corner in the NFL. The first thing you notice when you put on Molden’s film is how willing of a tackler he is. Not only is he a tremendous form tackler, but he will stick his nose in and pop you every chance he gets. Molden is also great in coverage, as he is able to use his plus athleticism and short area quickness to put slot receivers on lockdown within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He does tend to get in trouble when receivers push the field vertically, though. However, he has great closing speed and ball skills that he shows off while lined up at safety and his instincts in coverage make him a healthy projection to nickel corner and safety at the next level. For the 2020 season, Molden was chosen as the PFF PAC 12 defensive player of year and elected a second-team All-American.

Ambry Thomas, CB Michigan: 5-foot-11, 190 lbs.

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Throughout his four-year career at Michigan, Thomas has made some incredible plays and flashed brilliance at corner. He does not possess dominant physical traits, but has all the athletic intangibles you look for in an outside corner. He has elite speed, good hip flexibility and fluidity, excellent short area quickness and lightning change of direction ability. Thomas puts all of these traits to good use, as he is naturally sticky in coverage and can run with anyone. He might be most exciting at the catch point though, as he possesses superb ball skills that come from his days in high school as a five-star receiver. Like any prospect, Thomas is not perfect. He will need to work on his sloppy footwork and aggression in coverage in order to stick in the NFL. However, he is an exciting defender that can provide solid depth in year one with potential to become a quality starter. Thomas is also an electric returner, so teams will take that into account during his evaluation.

Keith Taylor, CB, Washington: 6-foot-3, 195 lbs.

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The Panthers desperately need an outside corner opposite Donte Jackson who can measure up with some of the bigger receivers in the NFL. Enter Keith Taylor, who offers rare physical attributes. Taylor was a track star his senior year of high school and even clocked a 10.89 second 100 meter dash. He has the quickness to flip his hips and run with the most athletically gifted receivers in the league, but his technical skills get Taylor in trouble at times. Sloppy press ability, footwork, and grabby-ness at the catch point are unfortunately scattered across his film. However, Taylor does quality work showcasing his physicality, length, and tackling ability that can translate to the next level. The Senior Bowl is going to be a big week for Taylor. He has a ton of potential that could make him one of the best in the league at corner if he is able to straighten out his areas of concern. If he shows consistency in Mobile he could see his stock jump to the third or fourth round.

Camryn Bynum, CB, Cal: Six-foot, 200 lbs.

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Here's another outside corner who plays with physicality, smooth hips, top-notch ball skills and tremendous instincts in coverage. Bynum is really flying under the radar in this year’s draft, as most scouts turn their heads when they look at his below-average straight line speed. But there are so many other things Bynum does well. He has excellent instincts in coverage and silky smooth transitions into opening up his hips and sitting in the hip pocket of receivers. When he gets to the catch point, his natural ball skills kick in as he uses his outstanding hand-eye coordination to swat passes away and make plays on the ball. Bynum lacks straight-line speed,m which is a legitimate concern. However, when he falls behind in press man coverage, he is consistently able to turn his head around and locate the ball on deep throws instead of getting grabby with his hands. Overall, Bynum is a projected Day 3 pick. Like other corners with below-average speed (Richard Sherman, Xavier Rhodes, Casey Hayward), he is best suited to play in a zone-heavy defense that incorporates press-man coverage.

Richie Grant, S, UCF: Six-foot, 195 lbs.

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Grant is the definition of a ball-hawking, single high safety. In his past three years at UCF, Grant has compiled 10 picks, five forced fumbles, 258 tackles, and 10.5 tackles for loss. That outstanding production at the collegiate level speaks to Grant’s aggressive style. He is excellent in deep zones and is not afraid to take chances reading the quarterback’s eyes. What makes him special is outstanding ball skills; when he is in position you better believe he is making a play on the ball. Grant is also a solid tackler that is able to line up up in the box using his lightning quick break on the ball to attack downhill and finish with authority. Just by looking at Grant’s ball production you would think he would be a first-round pick. However, as with any aggressive defender, there are some blown coverages and inconsistencies to watch. Grant occasionally will over-anticipate in coverage at times and takes poor angles when tackling, leading to explosive gains. Grant will be a true single-high safety in the NFL with the versatility to mix in at nickel. He would be best used in a cover-one heavy scheme, something the Panthers hardly ever used in the 2020 season. However, Grant could certainly fill the role as the center fielder in Carolina’s 3-deep zones they love to run which would totally free up Jeremy Chinn for more snaps up in the box at linebacker.

Carlos Basham Jr, DL, Wake Forest: 6-foot-5, 285 lbs.

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Basham is considered a bit of a tweener at the next level, but he has some really exciting traits to work with. Over his last three years at Wake Forest he has been one of the most productive edge rushers in the country compiling 19.5 sacks, 34 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles (keep in mind they only played six games in 2020). Basham lines up primarily on the edge, but played a decent amount of snaps inside at the 3 technique. At his size, he has some freaky first step explosiveness and a dense frame that helps him set the tone up front against the run. He is able to hold his position well, shed his blocks and get a consistent push into the backfield - especially against outside zone runs. In the passing game, Basham is a constant menace to quarterbacks. He is able to use almost every move in the book and is well-polished in his technique. He has an excellent ability to convert speed and quickness to power and loves to use the club/swim technique. Basham is undoubtedly an exciting pass rusher but will need to improve his play leverage and flexibility around the edge if he wants to become elite at the next level. He has tremendous explosiveness and a decent bend for an edge defender his size, but it will be difficult to improve on that wiggle around the edge unless he sheds some weight. We think Basham is best suited as a 4-3 strong side defensive end with the versatility to add a few pounds and rotate inside. With the likelihood of Kawann Short’s departure, Carolina could be looking at Basham on Day 2 to provide some immediate value across the defensive front.

Levi Onwuzurike, DL, Washington: 6-foot-3, 295 lbs.

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Onwuzurike is an explosive defender who can play any position up front. He is a bit undersized to play the 1 or 3 technique, but he makes up for it with his burst off the snap and brute strength. He also possesses surprising lateral agility that he uses well on stunts, shooting gaps and setting the edge. The problem with Onwuzurike is the inability to disengage from his blocks and getting into the backfield on pass plays. This is a technical issue. He will need to work on refining his hand usage and getting creative with his pass rush moves at the next level. There are a ton of exciting things to love about Onwuzurike, though. He has a motor that never stops, dominant first step, and tremendous strength. He will most likely fit in at the 2 or 3 technique, or as a heavy 4/5, and need to add a bit of weight at the next level.

Tarron Jackson, DL, Coastal Carolina: 6-foot-2, 265 lbs.

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Jackson is a freaky athlete for his size. He shows stunning explosiveness off the snap and surprising lateral agility. However, he's a prospect who relies on his raw athleticism and natural instincts. Unfortunately, that won't fly in the NFL, so he will need to develop a wider variety of pass rush moves and refine his technique. Jackson is definitely a projection-based draft pick, but he can provide some impact in year one. He offers situational edge rushing ability, as he has a nice club/over move that can be his go-to while he develops other counters. Jackson achieved a 90.0 overall grade from PFF which was tied for third among edge rushers in 2020. He also compiled 18.5 sacks over his final two years at Coastal Carolina. Another exciting quality Jackson has is his play strength. He makes opposing linemen look like rag dolls at times (especially against the run), and he hasn't even hit his ceiling physically. Teams could easily add another 10-15 pounds onto his frame and be able to rotate him inside to the 3 technique, as well.

Riley Cole, LB, South Alabama: 6-foot-3, 230 lbs.

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Cole is an intriguing prospect who was once a four-star Alabama commit out of high school. He is a brilliant tackler, plus athlete, fiery leader, and possesses strong enough physical traits to play the Mike or Sam linebacker roles. In coverage he is average and has some good reps against short/underneath routes, but by no means is he a liability. Cole has functional play strength but will need to add some weight in order to withstand tackling bigger ball carriers than those in the Sun Belt Conference. There are many questions that arise when evaluating Cole, especially the low level of competition. The biggest question marks we can see are his read/react ability and instincts. There seems to be a split second of hesitation when a gap opens up in front of Cole. It's like he knows where he wants to go (even if he is engaged in a block) but questions himself for that split second and is just a tad late getting in the backfield. This is even evident on his tackles for loss. Overall though, he has the potential to become a quality linebacker at the next level. With the Panthers’ current lack at the Mike linebacker role, he could replace Tahir Whitehead on early downs and mix in on special teams.

Garrett Wallow, LB, TCU: 6-foot-2, 230 lbs.

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Wallow is a converted safety from his freshman and sophomore seasons at TCU. He has filled out his frame nicely and possesses quality play strength, superb tackling ability, strong ability to fight through blocks, brilliant read/react ability, and respectable athleticism. Wallow is the heart and soul of the Horned Frog defense and has excellent leadership qualities leaving every ounce of effort out on the field. He is also great in coverage within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, using his athleticism and natural instincts in coverage to shut down short/underneath routes. As with any safety/linebacker convert, Wallow will need to pack on a few pounds. He is perfectly-suited for a Mike or Sam linebacker role in the NFL, so even adding 5-10 would make a world of difference in his block shed ability. He will also need to clean up his tackling angles.

Grant Stuard, LB, Houston: 6-foot-1, 225 lbs.

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In 19 games over the last two seasons, Stuard racked up 158 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and four pass deflections. He is definitely undersized, but that is part of what makes him so dynamic. Stuard is an absolute tackling machine, attacks downhill with explosiveness and eagerness, is a tremendous form tackler, good in coverage, and plays with the highest motor on the field. His instinctual ability to shoot gaps and penetrate into the backfield is outstanding and is what makes him such an electric player to have on a defense. Another thing we like about Stuard is his ability to finish tackles with controlled violence. It's fun to watch him come flying into the ball carrier and lay the lumber down while securing the tackle. There is no arguing that Stuard is undersized. His concerns pretty much stem from this, as his play strength and ability to shed blocks will be issues at the next level if he wants to fill a three-down role. Stuard also occasionally shows poor tackling angles which can get him in trouble if he is lined up off ball at nickel, but that can be cleaned up. With more and more hybrid defensive roles being carved out for off-ball players, there is no doubt Stuard can fill a role in the NFL. He probably won’t be an every down player right away, but can provide immediate value as a weak side linebacker in early downs or box safety in subpackages. Defensive coordinators will need to get creative with him, but Stuard could prove to be a tremendous value pick on Day 3. [vertical-gallery id=632869]