Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is currently playing, by far, the best ball of his four-year NFL career. But imagine how much better he'd be if he wasn't facing so much pressure on a weekly basis.
Well, Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports may be imagining that—as he hooked Young up with a little bit of help in his new 2027 mock draft. Tice, with the 19th overall selection, links the Panthers to University of Minnesota interior lineman Greg Johnson:
There have been so many teams I wanted to pair with Johnson. He's one of those players who boosts his teammates around him as a solidifying force with his smarts and sound play. He has real athleticism and pop to his blocks, too. Johnson has positional versatility, but his best spot long-term will be at center.
Either way, he gives the Panthers options to shore up their offensive line, both right away and down the road.
Through the first four weeks of the campaign, Young was pressured on league-high 47.2 percent of his dropbacks. A chunk of that heat has come through the middle—where starting center Luke Fortner has allowed 15 pressures, with Pro Football Focus grading him out at a dismal 38.9 mark in pass blocking.
If Fortner continues to struggle, the Panthers could fire up 2026 fifth-round pick Sam Hecht. Hecht was impressive in pass protection during his time at Kansas State University, relinquishing just 20 pressures over four seasons.
But if Carolina wants a top-tier solution on the interior, Johnson—an early favorite for this year's Outland Trophy—could be an option.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers get Bryce Young more help in new 2027 mock draft
