2019 NFL Draft: Carolina Panthers 7-round mock

Round 3: Shareef Miller

We’ve projected the Panthers to play it pretty safe in the first two rounds, but taking Miller in the third round would be a pretty big swing for the fences by the front office. He could end up being one of the biggest steals of the draft in three years, but he could also be out of the NFL by the time his rookie deal is up.

When you watch his college tape you see a pass rusher who can really get off the edge in a hurry. Miller isn’t blessed with a ton of moves or great technique, but he simply blew past pretty good Big 10 tackles on a regular basis. If Rivera and company can get his attention and add some skill to his athletic gifts, he could be an elite rusher off the edge.

The trouble is that Miller isn’t really good at anything else. He’s not a guy who can come in and play three downs right away. He’d start his NFL career as a pass rushing specialist. Our idea here is that the Panthers will find a starter at defensive end in free agency. Miller will be brought into the fold to amplify the pass rush on obvious passing downs.

We could certainly forgive Carolina for taking a prospect with a higher floor here, but that isn’t how you win a Super Bowl. Swinging big and connecting on a guy with a special talent like Miller is the way to outperform your draft slot. He might not be the right guy to gamble on, but the Panthers are going to need to take a big risk at some point in the draft.