2019 NFL Mock Draft: Dwayne Haskins atop one team’s Christmas list

Fairly or unfairly (and it’s most likely unfairly), Ed Oliver will have to deal with the dreaded “character concerns” surrounding his junior season at Houston. There were not-so-quiet rumors around the program that Oliver was sitting out despite being healthy, and the tensions boiled over with a televised blowup with head coach Major Applewhite.

From a talent perspective, there may not be a player in this class that has more than Oliver. Despite dealing with injuries that held him to just eight games, and facing consistent double and even triple teams as he was always the main focus of opposing gameplans, he still managed 14.5 tackles-for-loss, giving him an absurd 53 tackles-for-loss over his 32 games with the Cougars.

Don’t be surprised to see him tumble slightly on draft day, and also don’t be surprised if a ridiculous combine puts him back in contention for the No. 1 overall pick. Regardless, the Panthers would be ecstatic to see him fall to No. 10.

After a strong start, the Panthers have been in a free-fall that knocked them out of playoff contention and into contention for a potential high draft pick. A shoulder injury to Cam Newton has been the main impetus for their slide, but Carolina has issues on both sides of the ball that must be addressed.

Carolina struggled to affect opposing quarterbacks this season, ranking near the bottom of the league in sacks. Oliver possesses a lot of potential as a pass rusher from the interior of the defensive line, and could help solve the Panthers’ issues immediately.