Editor’s note: Please welcome our newest staff member, Grant Hughes, to Cat Scratch Reader. -BS

After a disappointing seven-game losing streak and an even more upsetting win against the Saints to end the season, the Panthers are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

A team with a lot of holes, aging talent, and limited cap space is banking on Cam Newton to speedily recover from his second shoulder surgery in as many years. With only the No. 16 pick to show for a brutal end to the season, Carolina’s window could be closing sooner than later.

However, the young talent on the team is just that; very young and very talented. With four picks in the top-100, the Panthers could easily make a playoff push with the right selections.

The draft is like March Madness, your best guess is a crapshoot, but these selections make sense, are probable, and would put the Panthers in the best position to win now.

Round 1: Pick No. 16 — Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

Alt. pick: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

Yes, the Panthers signed the top free agent center in Matt Paradis and questionably brought back offensive tackle Daryl Williams on a one-year deal. However, neither mask the gaping hole at left tackle that has been the bane of Panthers’ fans since Jordan Gross departed in 2014.

Many expect Williams to reclaim his job at right tackle spot while Taylor Moton slides to left tackle. I have no doubt the coaching staff is leaning towards that move as well, which is precisely why fans should be scared.

Moton is an elite right tackle, a much better one than Williams, who received help from running backs and tight ends a whopping 38.8% of the time in 2017. Handing Williams the job and forcing Moton to completely change his game for another side would be a crime and bad news for the line as a whole.

Enter Jonah Williams, arguably the top tackle prospect in the class. Though he came under fire for shorter-than-preferable arm length, he remains one of the most technically sound linemen in the draft. That combined with 44 starts for college football’s premier program makes Jonah Williams a smart and safe pick for the Panthers.

In a perfect world, Jonah Williams claims the starting job at left tackle his rookie season and plays a better brand of football than his predecessors Matt Kalil and Chris Clark (not very hard). Therefore leaving Moton on the right side to ascend to one of the best at his position.

J. Williams - Van Roten/D. Williams - Paradis - Turner - Moton

As the starting offensive line would give Cam time to find speedsters D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel downfield while also paving huge holes for Christian McCaffrey.

Though defensive end may be the bigger overall need, NFL teams are starting to sell out on offense, and you can’t argue with their success thus far.

Round 2: Pick No. 47 — Chase Winovich, DE, Michigan

Julius Peppers retiring ripped the only band-aid off of the defensive end position for the Panthers. Carolina’s only edge player with significant production is the soon to be 32-year-old Mario Addison.

To compensate, the coaching staff has discussed moving the Panthers from their traditional 4-3 front to a 3-4 “hybrid” defense. In actuality, it won’t make much of a difference as teams show various fronts each and every game.

Winovich would join newly-signed Bruce Irvin as supplemental pass rush threats in their first year in Charlotte; with Winovich having the potential to take the mantle from Addison as the team’s best edge player.

The former Wolverine may be undersized for a traditional defensive end at 6 feet 3 inches and 256 pounds, but he is fast and possesses one of the best motors in the draft.

Winovich is a mad-dog when the whistle blows and never takes a play off. His quick first-step and 4.59-second 40-yard dash gives the Panthers a potential wrecking ball off of the edge.

The Panthers don’t land Montez Sweat or Brian Burns on the first day but enter the third round having significantly improved both lines.

Round 3: Pick No. 77 — J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford

Arcega-Whiteside falling to the Panthers’ first pick in the third round would be a dream scenario for Cam Newton and the offense.

The departure of Devin Funchess has left the Panthers without a big target on the outside. The tallest receiver on the roster with playing time from last season is the six-foot flat Torrey Smith, who may not even make the final roster.

Though David Gettleman proved height doesn’t translate to success for wide receivers, Arcega-Whiteside is much more than that and would provide depth to a painfully thin receiving corp.

Measuring in at 6 feet 2 inches and 225 pounds, he is a physically imposing presence. After catching 63 balls for 1059 yards and 14 touchdowns, he has the production to match.

Moore, Samuel, Jarius Wright, and Arcega-Whiteside paired with Greg Olsen, Ian Thomas, and Christian McCaffery would potentially give the Panthers and Cam Newton their best group of offensive skill players in franchise history. Not to mention the help they’d receive from the stacked offensive line displayed above.

Round 3: Pick No. 100 — Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, FS, Florida

With Eric Reid locked up on a three-year deal and James Bradberry and Donte Jackson manning the cornerback position for the foreseeable future, the Panthers add the finishing piece to their secondary with another hyphenated last name.

Gardner-Johnson is just who the Panthers need on the backend; he is tall (5-foot-11) long (30 7/8’’ arms), and ran his 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds. Though he misses his fair share of tackles and often goes for the big play instead of the safe one, he has the potential to start Day One.

That is as much as you can ask for at the end of the third round and he may end up being a huge steal at the end of the day. With some refinement, he and Reid would be a dynamic and talented last line of defense. They'd easily be better than any safety grouping the Panthers have trotted out on the field in a long time.

Reid and Gardner-Johnson deep with Bradberry and Jackson on the outside and Ross Cockrell, Rashaan Gaulden, and Corn Elder battling in the slot gives the Panthers a solid secondary. As a result, Winovich and the pass rush would have more time to get to the quarterback or force a sloppy throw.