The Carolina Panthers made history during the 2020 NFL Draft. All seven of their picks were used on defensive players, which has never happened before in the common draft era dating back to 1967, per ESPN’s Trey Wingo.
It’s pretty stunning. Especially when you realize that rookie head coach Matt Rhule is an offensive guru. Most figured the Panthers would try to boost that element of their roster and give Teddy Bridgewater more help.
Instead, the Carolina draft was all about defense.
For the record, here’s who the Panthers drafted in 2020:
- Round 1 (No. 7 overall): Derrick Brown, defensive tackle, Auburn
- Round 2 (No. 38 overall): Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
- Round 2 (No. 64 overall): Jeremy Chinn, safety, Southern Illinois
- Round 4 (No. 113 overall): Troy Pride Jr., cornerback, Notre Dame
- Round 5 (No. 152 overall): Kenny Robinson, safety, West Virginia
- Round 6 (No. 184 overall): Bravvion Roy, defensive tackle, Baylor
- Round 7 (No. 221 overall): Stantley Thomas-Oliver, cornerback, FIU
It’s going to be fascinating to see how this team performs under Rhule’s guidance in 2020.