The smartest thing to do would be to trade out of this pick. The first pick of Day 2 is one of the most valuable picks in the draft every year, and the Panthers could get a big haul, maybe even including a two or even a one next year for this selection.

However, this NFL draft class isn’t loaded with edge rush talent, and if Penn State’s Chop Robinson is available, it makes sense to use this pick instead of dealing it.

Robinson has all the tools to be an elite edge rusher in the NFL, and he compares athletically to Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett, per NFL.com. That said, he’s still raw and has technique issues that coaches must work out.

As they say, though, you can coach technique. You can’t coach 6-foot-3, 254 pounds with 4.49-second 40 speed. That’s what Robinson has, and if the Panthers take him with their first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft like they do in this mock draft, they can nab their Brian Burns replacement right away.

Round 2, Pick 39 (from Giants): WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina

The Panthers traded for Diontae Johnson this offseason and still have veteran Adam Theilen and youngsters Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall on the roster. Even with that group, though, they don’t have a true No. 1.

In Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Panthers take another swing at getting a go-to guy with South Carolina’s Xavier Legette. The Gamecocks big man stands 6-foot-1, weighs 221 pounds, and ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Those are WR1 numbers without a doubt.

All that said, he didn’t break out until his fifth college season with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Was he a one-hit wonder who got by on being older and physically stronger in college? Or was that season a sign he’s on the way up?

The Panthers will draft Legette and hope it’s the latter.

Round 3, Pick 65: WR Malachai Corley, Western Kentucky

Let’s keep the wide receiver vibes going with the Hilltoppers’ Malachai Corley. In contrast to Legette, Corley has been killing defenders for three seasons now, despite not having a ton of talent around him. Since 2021, Corley has 253 catches for 2,970 yards and 16 touchdowns.

At 5-foot-11, 215 pounds with a physical running style, Corley gets a lot of Deebo Samuel comps, and a player like that would help Bryce Young out immensely.

Round 4, Pick 101: TE Ben Sinnott, Kansas State

More Panthers picks, more pass-catchers here as Carolina tries to build out its tight end room to help Young as well. This isn’t a great TE draft by any means, but there are some interesting Day 3 prospects.

Ben Sinnott from Kansas State is one of those intriguing prospects.

Sinnott showed up in Manhattan Kansas as a 210-pound fullback and leaves as a 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end. He kept all that running back speed and agility, though, as he got bigger. He’s improved the last two years at his new position, too, going from just over 400 yards as a junior to over 600 yards as a senior.

The Wildcats TE has the physical makeup and skills to become a factor at the next level, so with the right coaching, he could be a Day 3 steal.

Round 5, Pick 141 (from Giants): CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State

While the offensive struggles in Carolina get most of the publicity, the team needs defensive help, too. The team has Jaycee Horn, free agent signing Dane Jackson, and veteran Ty Hill at corner, but in today’s NFL, you can never have enough skilled DBs.

Chau Smith-Wade falls to this point because at 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, and with a 4.54-second 40, he falls just short of the measurable teams want to see from corners. However, you get him on the field and he is a dawg who is pretty decent at everything you want a corner to do.

Draft “experts” who just read the combine numbers won’t like this pick, but if you’ve seen Smith-Wade play, you know he’ll be a contributor on the next level.

Round 5, Pick 142 (from Titans): EDGE Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State

One more pick on D before we head back to the offense. The Panthers need to replace Brian Burns, but in a 2024 NFL Draft devoid of surefire elite pass rushers, they’ll have to get creative late to do it.

Like Smith-Wade, Mohamed Kamara doesn’t have the measurable you want to see out of a premier pass rusher at just 6-foot-1, 248 pounds. You know what Kamara does, though? He terrorizes opposing offenses.

The New Jersey native posted 30.5 sacks, 45.5 tackles for a loss, and five forced fumbles in his Colorado State career, and if given the opportunity, maybe he can keep that up in the NFL. At pick 142, it’s worth finding out.

Round 7, Pick 240 (from Steelers): C Dylan McMahon, North Carolina State

One place the Panthers are actually pretty solid at on offense is on the line. That said, they currently have guard Austin Corbett penciled in to play center next season. That’s why with the final pick, the team should look at Wolfpack center Dylan McMahon. He is a tough, smart player, and even though he doesn’t have the size of skills to play guard, he’s one of the most athletic linemen in the draft, which means there’s a solid chance he’ll figure things out, at least physically.