Matt Rhule’s most embarrassing Panthers draft mistake just got brutally exposed

The Carolina Panthers, under then-head coach Matt Rhule, made a significant and embarrassing draft error in 2021 by passing on highly touted left tackle prospect Rashawn Slater. Despite a desperate need for a franchise left tackle, the Panthers opted against drafting Slater due to concerns about his arm length, deeming him more suited to guard and not worth the 8th overall pick.

Instead of addressing the critical left tackle position early in the draft, Rhule had previously signed free agent Cameron Erving, a move that proved to be a failure. With the 8th pick, the Panthers selected cornerback Jaycee Horn. While Horn is a talented player who earned a Pro Bowl berth and a contract extension in 2024, his early career was hampered by injuries.

Rashawn Slater was subsequently drafted 13th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. He immediately excelled, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in his rookie season and becoming one of the league's most dependable left tackles, swiftly disproving the arm length concerns. Slater's success highlighted the Panthers' mistake, and it was further emphasized when he recently signed a lucrative four-year, $114 million extension ($92 million guaranteed) with the Chargers.

The Panthers did select a left tackle, Ikem Ekwonu, with the 6th overall pick in the 2022 draft. Ekwonu's career has been inconsistent, though recent progress led the team to pick up his fifth-year option.

Matt Rhule was fired by the Panthers during the 2022 season after a disastrous tenure. While drafting Slater in 2021 might have altered some outcomes, the article states that Rhule himself was the fundamental root of the Panthers' problems at the time, and his departure has allowed the team to begin recovering.