Mel Kiper grades the Carolina Panthers 2022 NFL Draft class

With only one selection in each of the first two days of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers put together a strong final day to work on holes in their defense. The Panthers had the third-fewest picks this year with six, starting with the No. 6 overall in the first round. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. gave Carolina a ‘B’ grade, despite the scarcity of new additions.

“The Panthers entered this draft in a tough position,” Kiper said. “They had clear needs at quarterback and offensive tackle but didn’t have any picks on Day 2 because of two different trades.

“Ultimately, they went with the top tackle in the class in Ikem Ekwonu – and were still able to get a quarterback at a nice value later in the draft. I do wonder if this relieves some of the pressure on coach Matt Rhule, as he won’t have to start [Matt] Corral immediately. Still, the Panthers need to compete in the NFC South if he wants to keep his job for 2023 and beyond.

“Carolina made its six picks count here,” Kiper said. “But it’s tough to grade it too highly because of the amount of picks.”

On top of Ekwonu and Corral, OL Cade Mays, LB Brandon Smith, EDGE Amare Barno, and CB Kalon Barnes rounded out the draft class on Saturday.

NFL insider Chad Reuter grades Panthers’ draft

The Carolina Panthers received an overall grade of ‘A’ by NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter for their six-player draft class.

“Carolina played the quarterback market well, landing the talented [Matt] Corral in the third round (paying the reasonable price of a 2023 third-round pick to move up for him) while greatly improving the offensive line with [Ickey] Ekwonu,” Reuter wrote. “They had previously traded second- and fourth-round picks in the deal for Sam Darnold, though. That investment has yet to pay off.

Carolina made a slight move up the board to select Smith, which is fair considering his athleticism. Barno was a quality pick in the sixth round, as was the strong and experienced Mays. Barnes is a speed demon.”

Corral, the Panthers’ lone day two selection, fell from a potential first-round draft choice to a late third-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, but the Carolina Panthers drafted the former Ole Miss star in the hopes that they’ve found their quarterback of the future. But where does Corral’s future stand with fellow quarterback Sam Darnold on the roster?

“I’m excited to get back to Carolina and start to work,” Corral said after coming off the board on Friday night. “Really, because I was nervous at first, and he noticed that, and called me out on it. Then there was a comfort there. Him understanding I was already nervous and calling me out on it was kind of comforting. He knew it … I felt like it was a place I’d end up for sure.”