STARKVILLE, MS - NOVEMBER 4: Ross Comis #2 of the Massachusetts Minutemen is sacked by Montez Sweat #9 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half of an NCAA football game at Davis Wade Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers sat down with Sweat to see if there was a mutual fit.

The Carolina Panthers certainly have a lot of needs heading into the 2019 NFL Draft, perhaps more so than other years. The organization itself is at an interesting place right now. Some of it is due to roster turnover. The Panthers have a great mix of veteran and younger players at the moment. With a deep selection of players in the upcoming draft, the Panthers certainly figured to be in the mix of things as they hold the 16th overall pick.

One player who was thought to be on the Carolina Panthers radar was defensive end Montez Sweat from Mississippi State. With a high motor and tremendous pass-rushing skills, Sweat could be the answer to the Carolina Panthers depth problems at defensive end. with the retirement of Julius Peppers, they certainly need a player that they can count on to rush the passer.

It appears that Sweat has met with the Carolina Panthers coaching staff present at the NFL Combine and even went through film with them. Per Jordan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer, he watched a lot of Julius Peppers for inspiration. That is certainly not a bad player to learn from. Much like Pep, Sweat plays that same aggressive style of football that Peppers does. He is an attack type of pass rusher and is not afraid to go after the quarterback no matter the situation. At the same time, much like Peppers was, he appears to be a smart football player.

If you watch his film, you’ll recognize that he can tone down the aggression when needed. In an NFC South that features the likes of Drew Brees and Matt Ryan, you need a pass rusher who is not afraid to get after it. Sweat could do that for the Carolina Panthers. He would be a nice pick up for a team that certainly needs to fill the void there.

Sweat might not be there by the time the Panthers draft. That would be unfortunate to say the least. Should the Panthers get a chance to draft him with their pick, they should certainly go get him. The fact that he has already reviewed film with the Carolina coaches says a lot about the direction that this organization wants to go in. They are focused on improving the defense, as they should be. If they can get both the offensive and defensive units going at the same time, this team could make a lot of noise in 2019.