Panthers add to OL in early 3-round 2022 NFL mock draft

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule hardly minced words a few weeks back about the state of his offensive line, likening it to the ongoing construction on Interstate 85 down near Spartanburg, S.C. Unfortunately, his team’s roadwork might take a bit longer than that highway will.

With college football kicking off into a full swing this weekend, perhaps it’s time to keep tabs on who the Panthers will potentially look to draft next spring. According to our guys over The Draft Wire, Carolina should be adding some help on far-from-finished offensive front.

So, in his recent three-round mock draft, editor Luke Easterling has them nabbing Texas A&M lineman Kenyon Green. He is now in his junior season as an Aggie and was named to the 2021 Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team and the Athlon Sports Preseason All-America First Team.

Green started each of his ten games from 2020 at the left guard position. His play on the interior earned him a handful of honorable selections from numerous outlets including a spot on the All-SEC Second Team and the AP All-America Second Team.

The 6-foot-4, 325-pounder has made the move to left tackle for this season. Whether he sticks out on the edge or slides back to guard when his transition to the NFL rolls around, the Panthers will likely be seeking out help for the left side of their line come next season. Veterans Cameron Erving and Pat Elflein are no sure bets.

Since Carolina had traded their 2022 second-rounder to the New York Jets for quarterback Sam Darnold, Easterling finishes off his forecast for the Panthers by mocking them LSU linebacker Mike Jones Jr. in the third. Jones Jr. transferred over to the Tigers after three years as a nearby Clemson Tiger.