Panthers draft QB Will Grier in 3rd round

The Carolina Panthers selected quarterback Will Grier out of West Virginia in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, 100th overall.

The pick is somewhat of a surprise with Cam Newton leading the Panthers' offense. The former No. 1 pick, however, underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery this offseason. Despite Newton's second shoulder procedure in the last three years, Carolina believes its quarterback could be ready for training camp.

Grier, who grew up in the Charlotte area, makes the leap to the pros after a productive stint at West Virginia. The Panthers had a first-round grade on him, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Prospect profile

School: West Virginia
Height: 6-3
Weight: 21 7lbs

Strengths

• Accurate to all levels of the field
• Excellent timing, trajectory, and ball placement on the deep ball
• Ultra-aggressive and always looking to make a play downfield
• Always willing to challenge windows and give his receiver a chance
• Flashes ability to work through progressions
• Can move within the pocket
• Consistently made big plays in big moments

Weaknesses

• Nothing special in terms of arm strength, despite proficiency with the deep ball
• Struggles under pressure
• Won't escape the pocket and make plays with his legs
• Needs to settle for a checkdown or a throwaway when it's the best option

Bottom line

A phenomenal deep-ball passer with a knack for making big throws, Grier is an incredibly interesting prospect. He's the best vertical passer in this draft, and he's certainly not shy about attacking defenses in the way he knows best. His play style is actually quite similar to that of Patrick Mahomes, but without the freakish arm talent. The question is where that leaves him. His floor, given his perceived lack of arm strength and struggles under pressure, is lower than the other top talents at the position. But if he lands with a modern offense that spreads things out and lets him attack downfield, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see him put together one of the most productive careers of any quarterback in this class.