Grading the Panthers' 2021 NFL Draft Class One Year Later

Looking back on how the Panthers did in the draft last year.

With the 2022 NFL Draft just around the corner, I decided to turn back a page to last year's draft to see how well the Carolina Panthers actually did. Now, obviously, it's only one year into these guys' careers but for the most part, there was a big enough sample size to get an idea on how impactful these draft picks were.

So, let's run through them, shall we?

RD 1, Pick 8: CB Jaycee Horn 

Horn may have only played in 2.5 games as a rookie but he looked real sharp when he was on the field. When the Panthers drafted Horn, they envisioned him becoming a lockdown corner and a major piece of this defense moving forward. It was a freak injury and one that the Panthers should not be worried about. Despite the controversy of passing on a quarterback or tackle at this pick, the Panthers landed a legitimate corner to man up against the best receivers the NFC South has to offer.

Grade: A

RD 2, Pick 59: WR Terrace Marshall Jr. 

Marshall was expected to develop into the team's third receiver behind DJ Moore and Robby Anderson but he rarely saw the field and when he did, the ball didn't go his way much. The transition to the NFL may take a little longer for some and that may be the case here with Marshall. Had receiver been a top need for the Panthers this time a year ago, I would have not been as harsh on the grade you see below. Again, they should have looked to the offensive line here.

Grade: D

RD 3, Pick 70: OT Brady Christensen

The jury is still out on Christensen. No one knows where he will line up, including the folks running the operation. He bounced around from right tackle to right guard, back to right tackle, and over to left tackle. In the games he lined up at left tackle, he looked pretty solid against some elite pass rushers. We will know what the Panthers want to do with him by the time the draft comes to an end. If they take a tackle at six, he will get kicked inside to guard. Regardless, the coaching staff and front office see him as a starter.

Grade: B-

RD 4, Pick 83: TE Tommy Tremble

Tremble had an up and down rookie season. He showed some flashes here and there but also disappeared at times which is to be expected as a rookie at his position. That said, there's a lot to work with and his versatility will allow Carolina to do a bunch of different things. The more he grows as a pass catcher, the better this pick will look. 

Grade: C+

RD 4, Pick 126: RB Chuba Hubbard

At the moment of the selection, I thought the Panthers got tremendous value with Chuba Hubbard. Had a lot of production during his career at Oklahoma State and at one point, was considered to be one of the top backs in the nation. When Christian McCaffrey went down, Hubbard's role increased significantly as he became the starter. He, too, had some good moments but struggled with contact balance and pass protection. With D'Onta Foreman now in the mix and a healthy McCaffrey, Hubbard won't be asked to do as much and it will benefit him as he continues to develop into a quality NFL back.

Grade: C

RD 5, Pick 158: DL Daviyon Nixon

Honestly, it's too small of a sample size to truly give out a grade considering he only played in seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. However, the talent and instincts are there for Nixon to not only become a really good rotational player for the Panthers but to be a factor on this defense in the future. He, alongside Bravvion Roy and Phil Hoskins will battle for the No. 3 DT spot behind Derrick Brown and Matt Ioannidis. 

Grade: C+

RD 5, Pick 166: CB Keith Taylor Jr.

I'll admit, I did not like this pick at the time. Taylor was a decent corner at Washington but wasn't much of a game-changer and never recorded a single interception. He surpassed my expectations as a rookie and strung together some really good performances. As deep as the corner room is, I don't know how much the Panthers plan to utilize him but he will be a good depth player for sure. 

Grade: B-

RD 6, Pick 193: OL Deonte Brown

Deonte Brown came in a little overweight and has been trying to get into playing shape really ever since he landed in Charlotte. With the moves the Panthers made this offseason, it shows that Brown is still not ready for a starting role and may see his future as a depth player.

Grade: D

RD 6, Pick 204: WR Shi Smith

The speed, the quickness, the elusiveness is all there for Shi Smith and we saw a little bit of that in the preseason and at the tail end of the regular season. Consistency was a big issue for him and was why he didn't see more playing time. Not to mention, he got arrested a few weeks back and it'll be interesting to see how the Panthers handle that situation. 

Grade: C-

RD 6, Pick 222: LS Thomas Fletcher

Sorry, Fletch. I will never understand this pick nor will I try to ever understand it. The fact that the Panthers drafted a long snapper when they still had depth issues at several spots is beyond me. To make matters worse, Fletcher missed the entire season with an injury and the veteran JJ Jansen re-signed a one-year deal to be back in 2022.

Grade: F

RD 7, Pick 232: DT Phil Hoskins

I haven't come around on the Phil Hoskins train yet but there is still time. Obviously, I don't expect him to be a force on the interior for Carolina but his ceiling could be a rotational DT that makes an impact. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon as he will be buried on the depth chart for the foreseeable future. 

Grade: C-

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