Panthers Draft QB Will Grier with Cam Newton Recovering from Shoulder Surgery

Quarterback Will Grier will get the chance to potentially lead the Carolina Panthers offense after being selected with the 100th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. 

The internet had a lot of thoughts about the Panthers' decision to add the former West Virginia star to their depth chart:

In a year with more quarterback questions than normal, Grier has a chance to be the best NFL player in the bunch.

His college career got off to a rough start in 2015 when he was suspended by the NCAA while playing at the University of Florida for failing a performance-enhancing drug test. 

After transferring to West Virginia, Grier was able to shift the narrative. He completed 65.7 percent of his attempts for 7,354 yards and 71 touchdowns in 22 games over the past two seasons. 

Will Grier NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Panthers Rookie

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Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked the 24-year-old ranked as the No. 7 quarterback in this year's class.

"Being short [6'2½"], having a beard and wearing a headband doesn't make you Baker Mayfield," one NFC quarterbacks coach told Miller about Grier in February.

One NFL talent evaluator told ESPN.com's Mike Sando that the quarterback will likely be viewed by teams as a "low-end starter or high-end backup."

The Panthers are hoping Grier turns out to be more than that. He proved himself as more than capable of driving the ball down the field in Dana Holgorsen's air-raid system. 

That offensive system is becoming more prominent in NFL circles—new Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury ran it at Texas Tech—and a signal-caller like Grier will likely have a better chance to succeed because he's already comfortable doing it. 

If Grier turns out to be a success in the NFL, the Panthers will have solidified their quarterback situation for the next 10 years and can focus on filling out the rest of their roster in hopes of winning a Super Bowl.

The Panthers' main focus this offseason has to be figuring out ways to protect Cam Newton. The 2015 NFL MVP missed the last two games in 2018 due to a shoulder injury that required surgery in January. He also had surgery on a partially torn rotator cuff in March 2017. 

Newton's injury history and propensity to take hits makes it essential that Carolina always has a solid backup capable of stepping in to play. 

Grier may not be ready to lead an NFL offense in his first season, but Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner will get a chance to work with him behind the scenes and during practice so he can hold his head above water when his number gets called.