Carolina Panthers Draft Central | Carolina Panthers - Panthers.com

Ikem Ekwonu (pronounced EE-kehm eck-WAHN-ew) signed with N.C. State after earning first-team all-state honors at Providence Day School in Charlotte. He was the team's Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year as a true freshman, starting the Wolfpack's final seven games at left tackle. Ekwonu started all 12 games in 2020, the first four at left guard and then again shifting to left tackle for the final eight to garner third-team All-ACC accolades from league coaches. He stayed at left tackle for all 12 games in 2021, garnering first-team Associated Press All-American and all-conference honors, as well as being named a finalist for the Outland Trophy. Ikem's fraternal twin brother, Osita, is a linebacker at Notre Dame. His former youth football coach nicknamed him "Ickey" because he looked like former Cincinnati RB Ickey Woods. -- by Chad Reuter

Playing three years at Oaks Christian and his senior season at Long Beach Poly, Corral was a four-star recruit who had committed to USC and Florida and turned down Alabama, Georgia and Michigan before settling on Ole Miss. He played in four games while keeping his redshirt in 2018 (16-of-22, 72.7%, 239 yards, two TDs, one INT; 13-83-6.4, two TDs rushing). Corral started four games in 2019, missing two games with a rib injury and then rotating into games throughout the rest of the season (105-of-178, 59.0%, 1,362 yards, six TDs, three INTs; 57-135-2.4, one TD rushing). He broke out in 2020 and was named a Manning Award finalist after leading the FBS in total offense per game (384.3 yards), ranking ninth in passing efficiency, seventh with 29 passing touchdowns and seventh with 3,337 passing yards in 10 starts. Corral was named the Outback Bowl MVP in their win over Indiana, throwing for 342 yards and two scores. He completed his time in Oxford in style, finishing seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting and garnering second-team All-SEC honors, starting all 13 games (262-of-386, 67.9%, 3,349 yards, 20 TDs, five INTs; 152-614-4.0, 11 TDs rushing) before suffering a high-ankle sprain in the team's bowl game. -- by Chad Reuter

Inking Smith was a big deal, even for a storied program like Penn State. The five-star, top-20 overall recruit nationally was a Butkus Award finalist as a senior (165 tackles, 30 for loss with 11 sacks, five forced fumbles, six blocked kicks) at Louisa County High School in Virginia. He contributed to the Nittany Lions as a true freshman in 2019 (14 tackles, two for loss in 13 games as a reserve). Smith then started all nine games in 2020, leading the squad with eight tackles for loss with two sacks among 37 tackles and adding one interception, while receiving honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference accolades. League coaches voted him third-team all-conference in 2021 after he posted 81 tackles, nine for loss with two sacks and five pass breakups in 12 starts before opting out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. -- by Chad Reuter

Barno played two seasons at Butler Community College to improve academically, racking up 13 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2018, before signing with the Hokies. The South Carolina native redshirted the 2019 season yet played in three games as a reserve. Barno missed time in 2020 fall camp with a strained hip but still started six of 11 contests after moving from linebacker to defensive end, tying for third in the FBS with 16 tackles for loss with 6.5 sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and receiving honorable mention All-ACC notice from league coaches. In 2021, he started 12 games (35 tackles, 5.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks) before opting out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. -- by Chad Reuter

Mays signed with Georgia after being named a five-star prospect and top-25 overall recruit nationally out of Knoxville Catholic High School. The USA Today All-American and Mr. Football Class 5A as a junior and senior was a finalist for the Anthony Munoz Award as the nation's top offensive lineman. Mays earned SEC All-Freshman Team notice, starting seven of 11 appearances (six at right guard, one at right tackle). He missed three late-season games due to injury. He started 11 of 14 games in 2019, beginning games at four positions along the line (six at right guard, two at right tackle, two at left guard, one at left tackle) -- also playing some center during the team's game against Missouri. Mays decided to transfer back home to Tennessee after his sophomore season and then it was discovered that his father (who was an All-SEC lineman in his own right at Tennessee) was suing Georgia because he lost part of his finger during a recruiting visit two years earlier. Mays started seven games for the Volunteers in 2020, one at right tackle and six at right guard. Mays earned second-team All-SEC notice in 2021, starting 10 contests at right tackle but missing three games with a left foot injury. -- by Chad Reuter

Kalon (pronounced KAY-lun) Barnes was best known for his exploits in track during his high school years, owning the country's best 100-meter dash time (10.04) and second-best 200 time (20.55) as a senior, winning state titles in both for the second straight year. He also beat former Auburn and current NFL receiver Anthony Schwartz in the 100 meters at the Adidas Dream 100 in 2017, though Schwartz was coming back from an injury. Barnes ran with Baylor in the 2019 outdoor season, winning the USC Trojan Invitational 100 meters at 10.43. On the football field, he was an all-district player at Silsbee High School in Texas before joining the Bears. He shifted from receiver to cornerback during preseason camp as a true freshman, playing in 11 games as a reserve that season (10 tackles, one pass breakup). Barnes contributed in all 14 games in 2019 (22 tackles, one interception, five pass breakups) before earning a starting job in five of six games played in 2020 (13 tackles, two for loss, one interception, three pass breakups) -- though he missed time at the end of the year (and played with a heavy wrap) due to a thumb injury. Barnes started 10 games in 2021, again missing time due to injury but collecting 24 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups during the year. -- by Chad Reuter