The Carolina Panthers have received a stern warning heading into the NFL Draft.
The Carolina Panthers own the 19th overall pick in the NFL Draft this Thursday, and they could go in a variety of different directions with their first-round selection.
While many expect the Panthers to take Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq if he is still on the board, they might also decide to go with a defense-first approach.
In that case, Carolina may look to address its secondary, and one player that has been linked to the team is Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
McNeil-Warren has been climbing draft boards in recent weeks and is now viewed as a Day 1 talent, and with the Panthers having a need at safety, he is certainly a possibility for the club with its top draft choice.
However, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine feels that Carolina should steer clear, claiming that McNeil-Warren would be a bit redundant for the squad.
"There's a little too much overlap between McNeil-Warren and Tre'von Moehrig for the pick to make sense," Ballentine wrote. "If the Panthers are going to take a safety in the first round it should be Dillon Thieneman or they should look at different positions."
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images.McNeil-Warren spent four seasons at Toledo and began receiving significant playing time as soon as his second year, when he registered 69 tackles, four tackles for loss, a couple of interceptions and four forced fumbles.
This past season, the 22-year-old racked up 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a pair of picks (including a pick-six), three forced fumbles, two fumbles recoveries and five passes defended.
McNeil-Warren is definitely a physical defensive back, as evidenced by the fact that he forced nine fumbles throughout his tenure with the Rockets. However, he is not exactly the best in coverage, which is why the Panthers may want to stay away.
And to be quite frank, using a first-round pick on a safety is always risky given that it is a non-premium position. At that point, you are essentially expecting the safety to become a Pro Bowler, and that is a tall ask.
Carolina might be better off nabbing a pass rusher if it really wants to go defense at No. 19. Or, it can just keep adding on to the offense in order to help Bryce Young.
Panthers Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Panthers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.