Panthers land Brandon Smith in 4th round
The Carolina Panthers traded up to select Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, No. 120 overall.
Carolina sent Nos. 144 and 149 to the Washington Commanders for Nos. 120 and 189, according to ESPN's Field Yates.
Smith notched 81 tackles, with nine coming for a loss, and two sacks last season at Penn State.
He will add athleticism to the Panthers' linebacker corps, which also includes Damien Wilson, Shaq Thompson, and Corey Littleton.
Scouting profile: Brandon Smith
| School | Height | Weight | 40 time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State | 6'3 | 250 | 4.52 |
The NFL draft is full of gambles. If clubs are wondering which low-risk prospect is worth a lottery ticket, make no mistake about it, Smith should be that guy. While he isn't a prospect that teams should put in all their chips on - Smith is still too raw for that - he's a player who could soar to the stars if he puts it together. When it comes to size and athleticism, Smith has it all. He proved that on tape, and then for a second time at the NFL combine where he ranked among the top in most categories. There's still a lot to be desired from a processing standpoint, but Smith is worth the gamble.