The Carolina Panthers entered the 2020 NFL Draft in need of a linebacker, and they had the opportunity to take the best one on the board in Clemson's Isaiah Simmons when their pick came up at No. 7 on Thursday night.
However, the Panthers opted to go with Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown.
Why? Well, according to David Newton of ESPN.com, Carolina thought Simmons was the best athlete available but that he was a better fit on a veteran team because of his ability to play multiple positions.
So apparently, the Panthers wanted to do Simmons a favor by allowing him to go to a better team.
Huh?
To be fair, Brown is a terrific prospect and should help solidify the Panthers' run defense up the middle along with fellow interior lineman Kawann Short, but Carolina's explanation for passing on Simmons is just strange.
Simmons ended up going to the Arizona Cardinals one pick later.
The 21-year-old is coming off of a spectacular junior campaign in which he racked up 104 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three interceptions, a couple of forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and eight passes defended.
Meanwhile, Brown totaled 54 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four passes defended in his senior year at Auburn.
The Panthers went just 5-11 this past season, losing nine of their last 10 games after a 4-2 start. Carolina, which has missed the playoffs each of the last two years, will also have a new face at quarterback next season, as the Panthers signed Teddy Bridgewater to a multi-year deal last month.
Round 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft is set to begin at 7PM Eastern, 4PM Pacific.
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