Panthers trade up to select OT Greg Little

The Carolina Panthers sent the 47th overall pick and 77th pick (third round) to the Seattle Seahawks to select offensive tackle Greg Little out of Ole Miss in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Panthers had shown significant interest in Little during the pre-draft process, meeting with him on multiple occasions, and ultimately traded up to select him 37th overall.

Carolina prioritized protecting Cam Newton with this pick. The former Rebel blocker could compete with Taylor Moton or Daryl Williams for a starting position at either left or right tackle.

Prospect profile

School: Ole Miss
Height: 6-5
Weight: 310 lbs

Strengths

• Ideal combination of size and movement ability for left tackle
• Great length to keep opponent from getting inside frame
• Mirrors edge rushers with good lateral movement
• Active and effective hands to shut down pass-rush moves

Weaknesses

• Hand usage and length doesn’t translate to much movement in the running game
• Struggles to find target when climbing to second level
• Will need to improve strength for matchups with NFL power rushers

Bottom line

Little enters the NFL with an impressive profile of pass-protection traits, and his abilities in that all-important area of the game should make him a Day 1 starter at left tackle. He still needs to get stronger, and there's some development required for the finer points of run-blocking, but his impact should be immediate and there's upside for even more.