Panthers steal playmaker everyone forgot to draft and he'll be huge for Bryce Young's development

Ja'Tavion Sanders was not supposed to be there in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Yet, he was, and the Carolina Panthers not only stole a second-round talent, but they have a player that should become a major playmaker for Bryce Young. 

Sanders was rated by many as the second-best tight end -third-best at worst- due to his college production and ability to turn any catch into a big gain. He set the record for most receptions by a tight end at Texas and is essentially a wide receiver in a tight end's body.

The Panthers already have a couple of guys in Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble to work the in-line snaps so Sanders can be effective as a "move" tight end, which means Panthers head coach Dave Canales will be able to move him around the offensive formation in order to create the best mismatches for the Panthers.

And speaking of Canales and Sanders' YAC ability, Canales is a master and scheming guys open and giving them a chance at operating in space. Combine that with Sanders' ability to exploit the seams and box guys out downfield and it's easy to see why this can become such a big get for Young and the Panthers offense. 

The best part about all of this, though, is Sanders hasn't hit his ceiling, yet. He can still improve his run blocking and his route running, in general. It'll take some work, but, if he ends up refining those skills to his maximum potential, then he has the potential to turn into a top-10, even a top-5, tight end in the NFL.

When it comes to pick, fit, and situation, the Sanders pick could easily turn out to be one of the Panthers' best picks of this draft class and that's even with them trading back into Round 1 to draft wide receiver Xavier Legette.

It's a testament to the job Dan Morgan and his crew have done over the last few days and it should help the Panthers continue toward building the foundation needed to get the team back on the winning track.