The 2016 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, only a month away from the first day when the Carolina Panthers will make their first-round selection.

Coming off a 15-1 regular season, the Panthers have been unsurprisingly quiet throughout the offseason. Re-signing their own players and adding in a very few select free agents to help bolster the roster. Panthers’ general manager Dave Gettleman can make the biggest splash in late April with a first-round selection that can make an immediate impact and become a star.

Expect our Draft coverage to heat up a lot over the next few weeks, but for right now, we’ll rank the five best players the Panthers will likely to select at the 30th overall selection.

7) Robert Nkemdiche (6-3, 294 pounds) – DT – Ole Miss

The talent is undeniable, but so are the red flags surrounding Nkemdiche, who had a tumble off a hotel balcony leading to being charged with marijuana possession for the incident. The fall is only the latest in a series of questionable decisions made by the Ole Miss star pass rusher.

Then again, on the flip side, Nkemdiche’s talent would make him a top five selection in this Draft easily if not for the trouble. Any team that gets him and his issues also gets a guy that is very fluid and capable of being an absolute havoc on the defensive line. A lot will depend on how many teams have him scratched off their boards and if the Panthers think they can handle the crazy. For that reason, he sits at the back of our list.

6) Mackensie Alexander (5-10, 190 pounds) – CB – Clemson

Alexander is thought of as the third best corner in the 2016 NFL Draft and it’s easy to see why. He’s a quick and shifty athlete that has the skills and attitude to play man-coverage. Often drawing comparisons to Josh Norman for his attitude, confidence, and ability.

The biggest knock against him is his height. At 5-foot-10, he simply is just not as tall and long enough to match up against the best wide receivers in the league. Because of that, he will be asked to immediately play as a nickle corner while he gets his legs under him and used to the level of competition. Not used to a zone coverage scheme, he could potentially struggle initially as he gets over the steep learning curve. Those factors have pushed him down the charts, but the talent is there and the potential is high despite it all.

5) Emmanuel Ogbah (6-4, 273 pounds) – DE – Oklahoma State

Ogbah is one of those prospects that can be just alright throughout his entire career or could be dominant if he puts all the pieces together. It’s hard to ignore the 12.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for a loss and the insane combine numbers that put him among the best at the position.

However, the big knock against Ogbah is that he sometimes doesn’t put the effort into it on every play. He jobs some plays out and just looks like a guy disinterested at times when a play isn’t coming right at him. To go with that, he is still a little raw at the position and could use some time to develop.

Again, if he can get put on the right roster and work his butt off, he could develop into a star. If he can’t, he’ll be alright and effective most of the time, just not dominant.

4) Eli Apple (6-1, 199 pounds) – CB – Ohio State

Apple has been talked about as potentially the best cornerback in the Draft in part because of his skill and because of his size. With Apple and Vernon Hargreaves both below 6-foot tall, he’s the guy that teams could look at if you want the height to go with the skills.

Apple is really raw though and can use his hands far too often at the top of routes, drawing penalties. That over-aggression translates to the rest of his play as he plays too fast in pursuit and takes bad angles at times. He also needs help with his hips as he opens up a little too early, giving too much cushion and allowing comeback routes.

With so many knocks, why is he so high on the list? It’s the physical traits that he has. He’s fast (4.40 40-yard dash) and big with enough aggression at the point of attack. He just needs to settle down and rely on proper technique and his speed to take care of business instead of panicking. It’ll likely take a few years for him to figure it out, but his upside is high once he hits there and could be a shutdown corner.

3) Corey Coleman (5-11, 194 pounds) – WR – Baylor

I’m really high on Coleman personally. I think he fits the type of player that the Panthers would want to add to the roster and think at his best, he looks and feels like Steve Smith.

He’s a smaller guy, but he is a playmaker at all points of the field. He is an insane athlete, running one of the quickest 40-yard dash times (4.37 seconds) of all prospects while at his Pro Day along with all the other major drills. The best part about him is his heart, as you can see him get a little feisty much like Smith after a play.

The knock against Coleman is his size and his hands. With a drop rate of 11.9 percent according to NFL.com, he has to get his head more into the game and that likely won’t allow him to be an immediate starter for any team drafting him, though he will get plenty of chances to make plays regardless.

2) Vonn Bell (5-11, 199 pounds) – SS – Ohio State

Another player that I’m probably higher on that most other analysts, Bell is my type of a safety. A playmaker in coverage and a thumper when he hits, Bell is a little smaller than I like to see, but doesn’t let that stop him in matching up with receivers or coming in to take on blocks and make tackles. In coverage, he was able to grab nine interceptions and 22 passes defended in 28 starts.

The best true strong safety in the 2016 Draft class, Bell has issues wrapping up as he wants to go for the bone crushing shoulder hits instead of proper technique. He’s also not the greatest cover guy in the world, doing much better with space than one-on-one. He’s also not the best athlete when he gets the ball in his hands, though some might consider a big return a bonus as long as it’s a turnover.

1) Kevin Dodd (6-5, 277 pounds) – DE – Clemson

Dodd is my top guy for the Carolina Panthers, but that doesn’t mean he’s the best athlete or the highest rated prospect. Many will look to only one year of production from him and knock him for that, while I look at the level of production he put out and how high his ceiling is. Personally, I have him as a better option than his more productive Clemson teammate Shaq Lawson solely because of how great Dodd can be with more development.

An absolute “nightmare for opponents” according to Draft Wire’s Jon Ledyard, Dodd can be seen on film using his strength, prototype frame, and hands to his advantage to get around the outside and in the quarterback’s bubble. For all the pass rush ability, he’s even better as a run-stuffer. Not simply happy to let others clean up, he takes care of his business and seems to want to make the play himself.

Just like I said before, he’s still developing a lot of his technique and abilities which is what makes him my favorite option for the Carolina Panthers. Not only can he potentially be a big star in the league, he can fit into the scheme immediately and play in a rotation from day one.

Overview

If I were the Panthers, I’d be happy with any and all of these options at the end of the first-round. They are all athletes that can make an immediate impact, even in a reserve role, and all have high ceilings. With as much as general manager Dave Gettleman likes to Draft guys and develop them into starters, all of these prospects fit that mold perfectly and all fit a need the team actually has.

It’ll be interesting to see who is still around at the end of the first-round, but I’m guessing at least one of these is sitting there when the Panthers go on the clock.