When they traded up to the No. 1 overall pick, the safe assumption was that the Carolina Panthers wanted a young quarterback prospect. And with the top selection, the world was their oyster in a promising 2023 NFL Draft class.
But if the Panthers had designs on drafting anyone but C.J. Stroud next month, it’d be rather surprising. Well, at least according to the contingent they sent to Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday. While the Buckeyes have a bunch of promising building blocks at other positions, the Panthers were there to presumably watch Stroud.
Such plans seem obvious when you note a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero stating the Panthers met with Stroud in advance.
The #Panthers met with Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud on Tuesday in advance of today’s pro day throwing session and plan to have another private meeting with Stroud before the draft in Charlotte, per sources. A thorough process as Carolina ponders the No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/2f9iU4b2hq
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 22, 2023
Seriously. Why else would Carolina send at least 11 different people, including owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole, GM Scott Fitterer, and head coach Frank Reich?
Going to @OhioStateFB Pro Day from the @Panthers.
• Owners David & Nicole Tepper
• GM Scott Fitterer
• HC Frank Reich
• AGM Dan Morgan
• VP Samir Suleiman
• OC Thomas Brown
• QBs coach Josh McCown
• Sr ass't Jim Caldwell
• Scouting dir. Cole Spencer
• Scout Joel Patten— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 21, 2023
I don’t want to read too much into things, but if Josh McCown and Jim Caldwell are present as objectively lower-level people in the Panthers’ hierarchy, they may as well be telegraphing their desires for Stroud.
Only time will tell what decision the Panthers ultimately make about their future in April. But, after seemingly sending everyone to watch him throw, it seems abundantly clear Carolina will have a concrete idea about where it stands with Stroud.
