Panthers get Buckeyes’ best in latest 2-round Draft Wire mock

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We hope you have some room left over from yesterday for a two-round serving of mock draft goodness!

In his latest two-round 2023 mock draft, Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling spread the holiday joy to the Carolina Panthers by gifting them a pair of standout Buckeyes. The first present from Ohio State University comes in at the second overall pick—quarterback C.J. Stroud.

If the Panthers end up in this spot, I’m sure they won’t mind picking whichever of the top two passers the Texans pass on,” Easterling writes. “In this scenario, it’s Stroud, who would give them an immediate upgrade over the terrible carousel they’ve run through this year at the game’s most important position.”

The terrible carousel has included Baker Mayfield, PJ Walker and now Sam Darnold—who’s set to make his first start of the 2022 season against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. There’s no doubt Stroud—the current frontrunner for this year’s Heisman Trophy—should be near or at the top of Carolina’s wishlist.

With their second pick of the mock, the Panthers receive Stroud’s top target in wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That’d be one heck of a deal at pick No. 34 considering the all-around product the 20-year-old pass catcher appears to be.

Finally, to round out the haul with one of the picks they got in their Christian McCaffrey deal, Easterling hooks Carolina up with University of Alabama linebacker Henry To’o To’o at No. 54. Other than that all-important spot under center, the middle of this defense remains the most thin part of the depth chart.

So since each of those players is considered amongst the top two or three prospects at their positions in this class, this would be a Black Friday type of deal for the Panthers this spring.

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