NFL Draft best available players for Carolina Panthers: TJ Tampa, Troy Franklin

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NFL Draft best available players for Carolina Panthers: TJ Tampa, Troy Franklin

After a flurry of trades Friday night – and a couple of picks – the Panthers enter Saturday’s final day of the draft with four selections remaining.

That could change, based on how has handled the first two days of his first draft as a general manager. The Panthers’ four draft-weekend trades are tied for the second-most in team history, one behind the five made by Scott Fitterer in 2021 during his first year as GM.

The Panthers currently have these picks Saturday:

• Fourth round, No. 101

• Fifth round, No. 157 (from the Jets)

• Sixth round, No. 200 (from the Bills)

• Seventh round, No. 240 (from the Steelers)

Morgan said Friday he would like to add a cornerback either Saturday or after the draft. Morgan previously has said he plans to circle back following the draft with free agent corner Stephon Gilmore, who played with the Panthers in 2021, played with recently acquired Jadeveon Clowney in high school and college and was formerly Morgan’s neighbor (and Fitterer’s) in suburban Charlotte.

A look at some potential Day 3 targets for the Panthers – at corner and elsewhere.

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Day 3 prospects

T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State

It’s difficult to argue with Tampa’s size (6-1, 194) or athleticism. Georgia coach Kirby Smart reportedly made a late push for Tampa after seeing him in a seven-on-seven tournament, while Iowa State coaches initially recruited him as a receiver. And while he didn’t get his hands on many passes, he also didn’t concede much. According to Brugler, Tampa allowed one touchdown catch over his final 934 defensive snaps.

Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri

Morgan said he wanted takeaway artists on defense. Well, the undersized Abrams-Draine (5-11, 179) led the SEC with 16 pass breakups in 2023 and his four interceptions were the most among Missouri defenders. Over the past three seasons, Abrams-Draine — who projects as a nickel — has 40 PBUs.


Khyree Jackson intercepted three passes for Oregon last season after transferring from Alabama. (Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)

Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

Jackson (6-4, 194) has exceptional size for an outside corner, and still has room to develop after starting just 14 games in college. After transferring from Alabama before the 2023 season, Jackson led Oregon with three interceptions and 10 pass breakups and was a first-team, All-Pac 12 pick.

Beau Brade, S, Maryland

Brade won’t wow you with his size or speed. But he led the Terps in tackles the past two seasons, co-hosts a podcast with another Maryland defensive back and was a team captain in 2023 (see above note about locker-room culture). He also should help immediately on special teams.

Ryan Watts, DB, Texas

Watts’ uneven career began with two seasons as a backup at Ohio State, where he tied for the team lead with two interceptions in 2021. Watts (6-3, 213) started at corner for two years with the Longhorns, but didn’t get his hands on many passes and could move to safety in the NFL after testing well at the combine.

Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina

A Legette-Rattler reunion in Charlotte, anyone? Probably not, since Rattler is projected by most analysts to go in the third round, which would seem to be too early for the Panthers. But the former Oklahoma QB has sound mechanics, excellent touch and a strong, accurate arm. He set the Gamecocks’ school record with a 67.5 career completion percentage.

Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee

The 24-year-old Milton spent a combined six years at Michigan and Tennessee, but only one season as a starter. But Milton has terrific size (6-5, 246) and speed, and arguably the strongest arm of any quarterback in this draft.

Devin Leary, QB, Kentucky

Panthers’ scouts are plenty familiar with Leary, who spent five years at N.C. State (playing behind a line that included Ikem Ekwonu and Chandler Zavala) before transferring to Kentucky. Leary’s accuracy dipped and his interceptions increased in the SEC. But he has a big-time arm and was one of only four Power 5 passers with at least eight completions of 50-plus yards in 2023.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, C, Georgia

The Louisiana native, whose family briefly relocated to Georgia after Hurricane Katrina, started every game for the Bulldogs over the past three seasons. As a senior, Van Pran was a team captain and the winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the SEC’s top offensive lineman.

Charles Turner, C, LSU

Turner began his college career as a tackle and played with Damien Lewis, the Panthers’ recently acquired left guard, on LSU’s 2019 national championship team. A two-year starter, Turner allowed one sack and was penalized three times over 763 total snaps in 2023.

Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

There’s a drop-off in the tight end group after Georgia’s Brock Bowers, although Sanders is an intriguing prospect because of his size and production. His 54 receptions in 2022 set a Texas record for a tight end.

Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State

Johnson (6-6, 259) only averaged 10 yards per reception as a senior, but was a red zone weapon with a team-leading seven TD catches for the Nittany Lions.

Josiah Ezirim, OT, Eastern Kentucky

The 6-6, 329-pound Ezirim has tremendous size but is still a bit raw with his technique after moving from defensive line midway through his college career. But he moves pretty well for his size, and looks like an NFL tackle with his athletic frame and long arms.

Cedric Johnson, edge, Ole Miss

Taking a late flier on a pass rusher, especially one with nice length who can play special teams, isn’t the worst idea. The 6-3, 260-pound Johnson averaged nearly five sacks over four seasons in Oxford. He also was the 2023 recipient of an award that goes to an Ole Miss defensive player who embodies courage, leadership and perseverance — good qualities for a Panthers’ team with a first-year coach trying to establish a winning culture.

Austin Booker, edge, Kansas

Booker played in only two games in two seasons at Minnesota before transferring to Kansas, where he was the Big 12 newcomer of the year after leading the Jayhawks in sacks (eight), tackles for loss (12) and forced fumbles (two).

Tyrice Knight, LB, UTEP

The Panthers lost their disruptor/defensive spark plug when linebacker Frankie Luvu signed with Washington. Knight had a similar playing style at UTEP, where he had the freedom to look for opportunities to burst into the backfield. Knight had a huge senior season, racking up 140 tackles (including 84 solo and 15 1/2 for loss), 4 1/2 sacks and seven pass breakups. The 6-1, 233-pounder didn’t miss a game over his final three seasons.

Jordan Jefferson, DT, LSU

The 6-3, 313-pound Jefferson pumped out 34 bench press reps at the combine, most among defensive linemen. The Panthers don’t have a glaring need at the position after signing A’Shawn Robinson and locking up Derrick Brown. But Ejiro Evero likes to rotate his interior linemen and Jefferson — who had 2 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for loss last season after transferring from West Virginia — would be a stout addition.

Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

Franklin was Bo Nix’s favorite target in 2023 when he turned in the most prolific receiving season in Oregon history. Franklin, who boasts a nice size-speed combination, posted video-game numbers for the Ducks on the way to single-season, school records for catches (81), receiving yards (1,383), receiving TDs (14) and 100-yard games (eight).

Brenden Rice, WR, USC

Like McMillan, the Panthers reportedly scheduled a pre-draft visit for Rice. The son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice had a nose for the end zone (like his dad) in college, leading the Trojans with 12 receiving touchdowns last fall. But he doesn’t have top-end speed and is not an exceptional route runner. Brugler views Rice and McMillan as third- or fourth-round prospects.

Tez Walker, WR, North Carolina

The Charlotte native had a nomadic college experience, bouncing from school to school and enduring an NCAA eligibility saga before finally being cleared to play for the Tar Heels last fall. Walker made the most of his brief time in Chapel Hill, with seven receiving TDs and a 17.0 yards-per-catch average in eight games. Walker has impressive, straight-line speed but had a total of 12 drops the past two seasons.

(Photo of T.J. Tampa: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)