Carolina Panthers: 11 top offensive prospects to watch at the 2021 Senior Bowl

The Carolina Panthers and the Miami Dolphins will be coaching the two teams competing in this year’s Senior Bowl (Saturday, Jan. 31 on NFL Network). That will give coach Matt Rhule and his staff an up-close look at some of the top prospects in the 2021 NFL draft.

Here are 11 offensive prospects we’ll be keeping an eye on at the end of the month.

Nico Collins, WR, Michigan 6-foot-4, 225 lbs.

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Collins had a chance to set himself apart in 2020 but decided to opt out of the college football season. However, he has accepted his Senior Bowl invitation to try and improve on his draft stock. Collins is an exciting receiver that has flashed some monster ability to win jump balls and bring down contested catches. In 2019, he had an 81.3% contested catch rate, which led all Big Ten receivers by a mile. He has not been tremendously productive at Michigan largely due to poor quarterback play and being in a run-heavy offense. However, Collins has potential to become a true X receiver in the NFL. He possesses solid route running for a receiver his size, plus athleticism, strong hands at the catch point and natural ability to track the deep ball. He could be the big-bodied, red zone threat that the Panthers desperately need in their passing attack.

Tre McKitty, TE, Georgia 6-foot-5, 245 lbs.

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McKitty is a big-time athlete at the tight end spot, something that the Panthers have been missing for years. However, this franchise has a chance to coach one of the most athletically gifted tight ends in this class during their time in Mobile. McKitty has terrific straight-line speed, agility, and short-area quickness. By using those high-quality athletic traits, he is able to create consistent separation on his routes and rack up some serious yards after the catch. He is an average but willing blocker who offers high energy and a strong work ethic. Carolina's offense would be an ideal fit for McKitty. He is best used in a system that spreads the field and creates opportunities for him in both short spaces and vertically.

Hunter Long, TE, Boston College 6-foot-5, 255 lbs.

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Long had a tremendous final season at Boston College, one that sent him skyrocketing up draft boards. He compiled 57 catches for 685 yards and five touchdowns while grading out as the fifth-highest power five tight end (83.3) ever according to PFF. He has natural hands with lanky arms that allow him to effortlessly bring in high-pointed and contested catches. Long is also a plus athlete for his position, as he shows good short-area quickness, route running and run after catch toughness. He is a scheme fit in nearly any offense, but especially one that would use his frame to stretch the field vertically and in the red zone. In the blocking department, Long is still a work in progress but is willing to do the dirty work and shows understanding of most concepts. Overall, he's a well-rounded tight end that can provide immediate impact at the next level.

Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia 6-foot-4, 235 lbs.

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Before transferring to Georgia and sitting out the 2020 season, Newman proved to be a dangerous dual-threat quarterback at Wake Forest. In 2019, he threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 574 yards with six touchdowns. Newman displays decent accuracy on his short to intermediate throws, but his bread and butter is with the deep ball. He has also show some ability to work outside of the pocket and flashed some nice throws on the run. There are a lot of things Newman is going to have to work on before he even sniffs the field. Working through progressions, footwork in the pocket, and pocket presence under pressure are all things he will need to improve on. By no means is he an immediate impact player, but the raw athleticism and arm talent are there. Newman is considered a Day 3 prospect and is widely regarded as a project quarterback at the next level.

Kyle Trask, QB, Florida 6-foot-5, 240 lbs.

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Trask is not our favorite QB prospect in the class but the Panthers have to do their due diligence, especially since they're coaching him. Trask was in the running for the Heisman trophy this year, as he put up a ridiculous stat line of 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 180.0. He possesses quality footwork, plus athleticism for a quarterback, good ball placement on his throws to all levels, and great decision making. He definitely has tools to work with at the NFL level, both physically and athletically. However, there are also many things that are concerning with projecting Trask to the next level. The main concern is that Trask simply does not have a strong arm. When you look at his tape, he lacks the needed velocity to work the ball to all levels and the arm strength to air out the deep ball 50 plus yards. This makes it tough to stretch the field and squeeze balls into tight windows against pro defenses. Having said that, if Trask finds the right system in the NFL like he did at Florida, he could become a quality starter. Interestingly enough, the Panthers happen to run an offense that would suit Trask rather well. Carolina likes to get the ball out quick, hit the short to intermediate throws and let their playmakers do the work after the catch - all things he did well in college.

Liam Eichenberg, OL, Notre Dame 6-foot-6, 305 lbs.

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Eichenberg is not going to set the world on fire physically. However, he is a darn good offensive lineman that is scheme diverse and balanced. Through week nine in 2020, Eichenberg ranked sixth in the nation at left tackle with an overall grade of 88.3 according to PFF. He is an intelligent player that does an exceptional job at picking up blitzes and stunts, plays with a mean streak to finish his blocks and is fundamentally sound in his pass sets. There is not much to be worried about with Eichenberg at the next level. His skills should translate quickly to the NFL, as he has played against top-notch competition his whole career. However, the speed off the edge could present him with problems since he is slightly heavy-footed. That being said, Eichenberg is a safe bet to become a plug-and-play quality starter. He would probably be best suited at guard to hide his athletic limitations, but could play either tackle spot as well.

Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State 6-foot-6, 300 lbs.

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If Radunz played at a power five school, he would most certainly be a first-round pick. Radunz has prototypical length and size for a pro tackle. He could probably stand to add about 5-10 pounds of mass to his frame, but he plays with strength in the run game and pass protection. He does lots of things well as he is a brilliant blocker out in space, plays with consistently great leverage and displays solid lateral agility when pulling or out in space. The main concern with Radunz is that he has not faced dynamic edge rushing talent in college football. It is going to take some time for him to adapt to the size and speed NFL edge rushers. Since he is used to just handling FCS edge rushers with sheer will and raw strength, he will need to start incorporating sound footwork and hand usage immediately into his pass sets at the next level.

Ben Cleveland, G, Georgia 6-foot-6, 335 lbs.

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One of our sleeper prospects in the 2021 class, Cleveland is a well-rounded interior lineman with strong hands, good movement skills, and quality play strength. He has been a staple along the Bulldog offensive line for the past three years and was named a second team All-American in 2020. Cleveland is one of the best in the country in the run blocking department and can handle powerful defensive lineman with relative ease using his extra-large frame and “country” strength. Watching his film, you can easily fall in love with Cleveland’s aggressiveness and sheer will to stymie defenders. In 2020, he was the only SEC guard to rank in the top five in both pass-blocking grade (85.2, second) and run-blocking grade (78.1, third) according to PFF. If there is a concern with Cleveland, it is that he will have to watch the leverage he plays at. He is a tall guard already and has a consistent habit of “standing up” on his blocks and relying on his brute upper body strength to hold defenders at will. This should be easily coached out of him, though and he would be an excellent scheme fit in Carolina. Cleveland could slide right in and start at either guard spot.

David Moore, G, Grambling State 6-foot-3, 320 lbs.

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Moore is one of the most aggressive blockers you will ever see and constantly seeks to knock defenders on the ground when he is out in space. He has a perfect frame fit for a guard with a solid lower half and excellent upper body strength. With that short and compact frame, he consistently plays with good leverage as well. Moore is a superb mover out in space with surprising quickness and agility, which will make him a perfect fit in a zone run offensive scheme. He also has plenty of reps on tape where he flashes his open field blocking ability and is the first one down the field on screen passes or pull blocks, something that teams will drool over. Coming from a lower-level school at Grambling State, Moore will probably have quite a learning curve at the next level. He will need to spend a ton of time in the film room improving on his stunt and blitz pickups, as well as addressing his balance issues. He will likely not be able to sustain his ultra-aggressive blocking style like in college, so he will need to refine his technical skills like hand usage and footwork.

Landon Dickerson, OL, Alabama 6-foot-6, 325

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Dickerson is one of the best and most underrated offensive linemen in college football. It's hard to believe that someone who won the Remington award, was unanimously selected as a first team All-American and a semi-finalist for the Outland trophy is not projected as a first-rounder. There is so much to like about Dickerson’s game. He is a great leader, beloved by his teammates, a tremendous mover out in space as a lead blocker, has an excellent understanding of blitz and stunt pickups, understands all blocking concepts, brilliant in the film room and an absolute bulldozer that plays with a mean streak. Dickerson does have some technicalities he can work on at the next level like hand placement and footwork, but he is ready to start Week 1. If the Panthers can snag him in the second round, he could start at guard in 2021 and eventually replace Matt Paradis at center in 2022.

Demetric Felton, RB, UCLA 5-foot-10, 185 lbs.

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The Panthers have long said they would like to add a backup running back that shares qualities with Christian McCaffrey. Mike Davis played well this season and catches the ball well out of the backfield but is not nearly as explosive as McCaffrey. Plus, he is a free agent this offseason and will likely demand a contract out of Carolina’s price range. Enter Demetric Felton, an explosive playmaker who made the transition from slot receiver to RB1 for the Bruins in 2020. He has excellent straight-line speed and pairs it with superb short area burst and agility. His game is straight lightning in a bottle. Felton consistently snatches defender’s ankles with his excellent run after catch ability and quick cuts. Currently Felton is projected to go sometime on Day 3 due to his small stature and durability. However, he is well-worth the value due to his top-notch athleticism and pass-catching ability as a running back.