Carolina Panthers: Four Draft Day Scenarios

1. Trading Up

Trading up the draft board can be pretty expensive, so you better have a target in mind and accept the risk that you will not get an additional pick/picks later on. It is easier to do later on in the draft, like the Devin Funchess trade, but we’re looking at just the first round here.

Remember that I said that Kendall Fuller was not a first round rated cornerback. To get a corner the Panthers would like better, they would have to deal into the draft ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers at 25. Ohio State’s Eli Apple would be the target here.

The trading partner would be the Cincinnati Bengals at 24. They need a receiver but none of the teams that follow them have big interests in the position with the possible exception of the Chiefs. Notre Dame’s Will Fuller would likely be around at 31.

Again, this will not be cheap for the Panthers to do. The 24^th pick is worth 740 points while the 31^st pick is worth 600. The Panthers’ third rounder is only worth 132 points. To make the deal work, the Panthers would likely have to give up their 1^st, 3^rd, and 5^th round picks in order to get the Bengals’ 24^th and a seventh round selection.

Again if the Panthers do this, they better love Eli Apple.

Next: Trading Out