Over the past few weeks, Sharrif Floyd has sped right past pick No. 14 up into top three consideration. However, if teams truly watch his film, they'll find he's probably a mid first-round talent. If he's gone, Sheldon Richardson is a perfect fit in this defense and excellent value in the middle of the first round. No. 14 is high for Williams, but if the Panthers miss out on both Floyd and Richardson, they'll have to find an impact interior player.
Xavier Rhodes should be the No. 2 corner off the board after Alabama star Dee Milliner, but Desmond Trufant isn't far behind. The No. 14 pick is bit high for either corner, but it's hard to turn away from Rhodes' physical gifts and 4.4 speed at 210 pounds. Matt Elam is the top safety on my board and he's a better overall football player than either Vaccaro and/or Reid, both of whom possess prototype safety size. David Amerson ran much better than expected at the combine, but his 2012 film defines inconsistency.
At some point Steve Smith is going to expire, but that doesn't appear to be anytime in the near future. Brandon LaFell will fight the ball at times, but he's improving as a receiver each and every year. Louis Murphy may return and won't cost the Panthers an excessive amount of money. But, even if Murphy returns and Joe Adams hits on his potential, the team would be wise to add a dynamic talent from this receiver class.
Markus Wheaton can fly. He needs work on his hands, but he runs great routes and has learned the subtle nuances of selling routes to get open. The Panthers may be gun-shy about former USC receivers after striking out on Dwayne Jarrett, but Robert Woods is a gem in the second round. He's a diva and didn't like the fact that he was overshadowed by Marqise Lee last year, but taking a backseat may drive the former USC star to prove everyone wrong.
There's a chance Jonathan Cooper may be on the board at No. 14, which would force the Panthers to have to determine whether Cooper's production outweighs drafting for need at DT or CB. If the team passes on the former Tar Heel or he's off the board, Terron Armstead could be an option in the top half of the second round. Larry Warford is a hammer at the point of attack, similar to Silatolu, and has succeeded against the best in college football. Keep an eye on Watson, a former DI-A basketball player from England that has great feet and agility.
Of course there are the usual suspects, but there are a few names (see full piece) we haven't been talking about.
