The Carolina Panthers NFL draft picks 2023 is the name of the annual player selection meeting that the Carolina Panthers, a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, participated in as part of the National Football League (NFL). The draft was held from April 27 to April 29, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Panthers had six selections in the draft, including the first overall pick, which they used to select quarterback Bryce Young from Alabama.
History: The NFL draft history dates back to 1936, when the first annual player selection meeting was held by the NFL. The draft was created to increase the competitive parity among the teams and to prevent the richest teams from signing all the best players. The draft order was originally determined by the inverse order of the previous season’s standings, with the worst team picking first. The draft consisted of nine rounds and 81 players were selected. The first player ever drafted was Jay Berwanger, a halfback from Chicago, who was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles but never played in the NFL.
Since then, the NFL draft has evolved into a major media event that attracts millions of viewers and fans. The draft format has changed over the years, with the number of rounds varying from one to thirty and the number of selections ranging from 81 to 487. The current format consists of seven rounds and 259 selections. The draft order is still determined by the inverse order of the previous season’s standings, with some exceptions for playoff teams and teams that traded their picks. The draft also includes compensatory picks for teams that lost more or better free agents than they signed in the previous year.
The NFL draft has produced many legendary players and Hall of Famers, such as Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers. The draft has also witnessed some notable busts and misses, such as Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Tony Mandarich, and Tom Brady (who was picked in the sixth round with the 199th overall pick).
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Here is a 2023 NFL draft pick-by-pick breakdown for the Carolina Panthers:
Round 1: No. 1 (from CHI) – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Young was a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion with Alabama in 2022. He threw for 4,322 yards and 43 touchdowns with only four interceptions in his junior season. He also ran for 310 yards and six touchdowns. He is a dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm, quick release, and excellent accuracy. He can make plays with his legs and extend plays with his mobility. He is a natural leader and a winner who can elevate his teammates.
Round 2: No. 39 – Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
Mingo was a breakout star for Ole Miss in 2022, catching 72 passes for 1,215 yards and 12 touchdowns in his junior season. He averaged 16.9 yards per catch and had six games with over 100 receiving yards. He is a big-bodied receiver with good speed, strength, and hands. He can win contested catches and run after the catch. He is a versatile weapon who can line up outside or in the slot.
Round 3: No. 80 (from PIT) – DJ Johnson, EDGE, Oregon
Johnson was a productive pass rusher for Oregon in 2022, recording 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in his senior season. He also had two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He is an athletic edge defender with a quick first step, good bend, and powerful hands. He can convert speed to power and use an array of moves to beat blockers. He is also a solid run defender who can set the edge and chase down ball carriers.
Round 4: No. 114 – Chandler Zavala, G, NC State
Zavala was a three-year starter for NC State at left guard. He was an All-ACC selection in 2022 and helped pave the way for a potent rushing attack that averaged 5.1 yards per carry. He is a physical guard with good size, strength, and technique. He can generate movement at the point of attack and anchor against bull rushers. He is also agile enough to pull and reach second-level defenders.
Round 5: No. 145 – Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State
Robinson was a transfer from South Carolina who made an immediate impact for Florida State in 2022. He led the team with four interceptions and nine pass breakups in his junior season. He also had 58 tackles and two tackles for loss. He is a versatile safety who can play deep, in the box, or in the slot. He has good instincts, ball skills, and tackling ability. He can cover tight ends, running backs, and slot receivers. He is also a vocal leader and a special teams contributor.
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team that competes in the National Football League (NFL). They have participated in the NFL draft since 1995, when they joined the league as an expansion team. The NFL draft is an annual event where teams select new players from college football or other eligible sources. The draft order is determined by the previous season’s standings, with the worst team picking first and the best team picking last. The draft consists of seven rounds and 259 selections.
The Carolina Panthers have had some notable draft picks over the years, such as Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Julius Peppers, and Christian McCaffrey. Here are their last five top draft picks, which are the players they selected in the first round of each draft:
- 2023: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama. Young was the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, which the Panthers acquired from the Chicago Bears in a trade. Young was a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion with Alabama in 2022. He threw for 4,322 yards and 43 touchdowns with only four interceptions in his junior season. He also ran for 310 yards and six touchdowns. He is a dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm, quick release, and excellent accuracy. He can make plays with his legs and extend plays with his mobility. He is a natural leader and a winner who can elevate his teammates.
- 2022: Ikem Ekwonu, T, NC State. Ekwonu was the sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft. Ekwonu was a three-year starter for NC State at left tackle. He was an All-ACC selection in 2021 and helped pave the way for a potent rushing attack that averaged 5.1 yards per carry. He is a physical tackle with good size, strength, and technique. He can generate movement at the point of attack and anchor against bull rushers. He is also agile enough to pull and reach second-level defenders.
- 2021: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina. Horn was the eighth overall pick in the 2021 draft. Horn was a three-year starter for South Carolina at cornerback. He was an All-SEC selection in 2020 and led the nation with eight pass breakups in seven games. He also had two interceptions and six tackles for loss. He is a long, athletic corner with good speed, ball skills, and physicality. He can press and jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and mirror them downfield. He can also play zone and off coverage and support the run.
- 2020: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn. Brown was the seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft. Brown was a four-year starter for Auburn at defensive tackle. He was a consensus All-American and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. He had 55 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in his senior season. He is a massive, powerful tackle with good quickness, agility, and motor. He can dominate the line of scrimmage and disrupt both the run and the pass.
- 2019: Brian Burns, DE, Florida State. Burns was the 16th overall pick in the 2019 draft. Burns was a three-year starter for Florida State at defensive end. He was an All-ACC selection and a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award in 2018. He had 52 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three pass breakups in his junior season. He is an explosive edge rusher with great speed, bend, and length. He can beat blockers with his burst, finesse, or power moves. He is also a solid run defender who can set the edge and chase down ball carriers.
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FAQs
Q: Who is the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 draft?
A: The first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 draft is Bryce Young, a quarterback from Alabama. He was a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion in 2022.
Q: What position did the Carolina Panthers draft in each round of the 2023 draft?
A: The Carolina Panthers drafted the following positions in each round of the 2023 draft:
Round 1: QB (Bryce Young)
Round 2: WR (Jonathan Mingo)
Round 3: EDGE (DJ Johnson)
Round 4: G (Chandler Zavala)
Round 5: S (Jammie Robinson)
Q: How did the Carolina Panthers trade up to get the first overall pick in the 2023 draft?
A: The Carolina Panthers traded up to get the first overall pick in the 2023 draft from the Chicago Bears in a blockbuster trade that involved wide receiver D.J. Moore and multiple future draft picks. The Panthers gave up Moore, their second-round pick in 2023, their first-round pick in 2024, and their second-round pick in 2025 to get the No. 1 pick from the Bears.
