The NFL draft this year begins on April 25th and ends April 27th. The Carolina Panthers are my favorite football team. The Panthers have the 16th pick this year. Instead of making a prediction on who will be selected, I want to point out the areas of need I believe this team should address. This is in no particular order of need, just positions that I believe should be targeted.

Defensive End- The Carolina Panthers lost a future Hall-of-Famer in Julius Peppers last season. He retired with the team that drafted him. This leaves the Panthers with a need to find a pass rusher. The Panthers have always been known to have a good defense. The defensive line has always been a strength for this team. The division that the Panthers play have elite quarterbacks. Finding a player who can wreak havoc and get to opposing quarterback should be a priority.

Safety- The Carolina Panthers re-signed Eric Reid this offseason. The Panthers still need another safety to pair with Reid. The Panthers have James Bradberry and Donte Jackson at cornerback. If the Panthers can find another safety that can come in and play immediately, the back end of the defense will be complete for years to come.

Offensive Tackle- One of the best ways to help your quarterback is to make sure he is healthy. This is possible if you have a good offensive line that protects your quarterback. Cam Newton, the quarterback, is a mobile quarterback who has had injuries in the past. Keeping him healthy could make sure he has a great season which helps the team perform even better.

Wide Receiver- This is for the idea that a team could never have too many weapons. The Panthers did draft D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel last year, as well as signed Chris Hogan this offseason. Having one more weapon can make the offense even more dangerous and hard to stop.

The Panthers have had recent success in the draft. I believe they will make the right decision. These are my thoughts on what they should do. All we can do now is wait until the Panthers are on the clock...