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Carolina Panthers 2022 Draft Picks: Draft Begins With Sixth Pick In

Published: 2025-04-25 01:49:49 5 min read

The Carolina Panthers' 2022 Draft: A Gamble on Potential or a Recipe for Disaster? The Carolina Panthers entered the 2022 NFL Draft with a palpable sense of urgency.

Having traded away their former franchise quarterback, the team held the sixth overall pick, a prime opportunity to reshape their future.

This high draft position, coupled with additional selections, promised a potential overhaul of their roster.

However, the Panthers’ draft strategy, particularly the choices made in the early rounds, remains a subject of intense debate amongst analysts and fans alike.

This investigation will argue that while the Panthers' 2022 draft showcased an attempt to rebuild through acquiring high-ceiling talent, the questionable execution and reliance on unproven prospects ultimately highlighted a risky approach that falls short of a comprehensive solution to their franchise woes.

The Panthers' front office, under the leadership of then-General Manager Scott Fitterer, emphasized the need to bolster their offensive line and quarterback position.

This strategy, while seemingly logical given their needs, failed to account for the volatility inherent in selecting players so high in the draft.

The selection of Ikem Ekwonu, a left tackle from North Carolina State, at sixth overall represented a significant investment in protecting their eventual starting quarterback.

While Ekwonu possesses impressive physical attributes, his transition to the NFL was not seamless, showcasing some inconsistencies in pass protection that raised questions about his readiness for the rigors of the professional game.

This choice, while seemingly addressing a pressing need, neglected the more immediate need for a proven quarterback.

Instead of selecting a quarterback in the first round, the Panthers waited until the sixth round to draft Matt Corral, a quarterback with considerable potential but limited game experience, and significant injury concerns.

This decision, in retrospect, highlights a potential flaw in the team's draft strategy – a prioritization of long-term potential over immediate impact.

This strategy is not without precedent; teams often gamble on high-ceiling players, banking on future development.

However, the lack of a solid, experienced quarterback significantly hampered the team's on-field performance throughout the season.

Scholarly research on NFL draft success rates consistently points to the difficulty in predicting the long-term success of high draft picks, regardless of position (Szymanski, 2015).

The Panthers' decision to bypass readily available quarterbacks like Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis raises concerns about their thoroughness in the evaluation process.

Beyond the quarterback conundrum, the Panthers’ later-round selections also warrant scrutiny.

While some picks like Brian Burns showed promise, many others failed to make a significant impact, leaving the team with an uneven roster lacking depth.

The lack of impactful players in the later rounds suggests a potential deficiency in the scouting department's ability to identify and assess lesser-known talent.

This is a crucial aspect of successful drafting, as many successful teams build their rosters through astute selections in the middle and later rounds.

Full list of Panthers draft picks for 2025

Some argue that the Panthers' 2022 draft was a necessary gamble, a calculated risk to build a foundation for future success.

The emphasis on young, talented players certainly aligns with a long-term rebuilding strategy.

However, the absence of a clear plan to supplement these high-risk, high-reward selections with established veteran players highlights a critical oversight.

The lack of a cohesive, short-term strategy to improve immediate on-field performance resulted in another losing season, further fueling skepticism about the team’s direction.

The 2022 Panthers' draft was not without some successes.

Ekwonu shows glimpses of the dominant left tackle he’s projected to be, and certain later-round selections could potentially develop into valuable contributors.

However, these isolated successes do not negate the overall disappointment of a draft that prioritized long-term potential over addressing immediate needs and failed to demonstrate sufficient depth in their scouting.

The lack of a clearly defined draft strategy, the reliance on unproven prospects, and the failure to adequately address the quarterback position all contributed to a draft that, despite its ambition, ultimately fell short of expectations.

In conclusion, the Carolina Panthers' 2022 draft presents a compelling case study in the complexities of NFL team-building.

The strategy, while ostensibly focused on accumulating high-potential players, lacked the necessary balance of immediate impact and long-term vision.

The questionable execution and the ultimately disappointing results highlight the inherent risks associated with prioritizing potential over proven ability, particularly in the early rounds of the NFL draft.

The Panthers' experience serves as a cautionary tale for other teams, emphasizing the importance of a well-defined, comprehensive draft strategy that balances both short-term needs and long-term vision, underpinned by rigorous scouting and player evaluation.

Reference: Szymanski, D.

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