:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71847675/1452622622.0.jpg "Panthers mock draft: Where is Carolina drafting in first round after Week 18? Who might they pick?")
The Carolina Panthers beat the New Orleans Saints in Week 18 to finish the season at 7-10. As games wrap up and the 2023 NFL Draft order solidifies this weekend, let's take a look at where the Panthers will be aiming to improve when the draft rolls around in April.
Panthers draft order: No. 9 pick
A 10-7 win over the Saints put the Panthers at the No. 9 spot for the 2023 Draft.
Panthers mock draft: QB Will Levis, Kentucky
The Panthers put together a decent season. The run game was a major highlight – after the Christian McCaffrey trade, we watched D'Onta Foreman come into his own. But Carolina is in desperate need of an elite quarterback. They may be too far down to grab CJ Stroud or Bryce Young, but would they risk it on Will Levis? Or do they go for Tennessee's Hendon Hooker or Florida's Anthony Richardson? Each of them found differing levels of success in college, but that doesn't necessarily directly translate to NFL performance.
It's highly likely they'll select a QB in the first round, but as they search for a new head coach in 2023, they will also be looking to upgrade on the defensive side of the ball at cornerback, linebacker, and defensive end.