The Young Initiative – Carolina Panthers 2024 Draft Profile

There was hope and then there was despair for the Carolina Panthers last season. They traded up to get their franchise quarterback, only to find themselves as one of the worst teams in the NFL. Carolina now has to try to navigate the draft to find impact players in the mid to late rounds, and build around their young QB.

 

Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

Kiran Amegadjie, Tackle, Yale

Trevor Keegan, Guard, Michigan

 

The Panthers drafted what looked like a promising crop of players last season, and now will have to add to that with more young talent. Jonathan Mingo showed flashes of being a reliable target for Bryce Young, but they need to get more weapons to fill out this offense.

Insert Troy Franklin, an elusive receiver who is a big play waiting to happen. Franklin can do any and everything on the field. He has a suddenness to his game that is reminiscent of Chad Johnson, allowing him to win routes with quickness and efficiency. Franklin can also play outside or in the slot, allowing him to be used in multiple formations and create mismatches.

Adding a player like Troy Franklin gives Young a reliable target that can get open early and often. A receiver helps a lot, but the Panthers need to protect their quarterback as well.    

Chandler Zavala may man one of the guard spots but they need to shore up the other interior spot to balance the offensive line. They will also need to find a tackle to create a better pocket for Young this upcoming season.

Kiren Amegadjie out of Yale fits as a left tackle at the pro level, and displays all the skills to excel. His large frame and arm length will allow him to get his hands on pass rushers early and disrupt their timing. He shows the ability to anchor and drive in the run game, allowing him to fit in a power run or zone run scheme. Being able to get such a good prospect in the mid-rounds is amazing value, and a cheap contract for a blindside protector.

Adding Trevor Keegan to the left side next to Amegadjie would be ideal. Keegan is a rock on the interior offensive line as a pass blocker or run blocker. His ability to stall out power rushers is elite, and he rarely gets beat by speed rushers as he shuffles his feet well to mirror. He also displays a high football IQ, rarely getting beat on stunts or disguised blitzes. Keegan would come in as an instant plug-in at left guard, allowing Zavala to play on the right side and fortify the line.

Carolina has to build this offense up and find gems in the later rounds to do so. Their focus should be making Bryce Young’s sophomore season as easy as possible to help with his development in the NFL. If the draft board doesn’t completely collapse, they could come out of it with one of the more impressive draft classes in the league this year.