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NFL.com draft grade (I know you guys care so much)

updownsigma

By updownsigma,
in Carolina Panthers

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updownsigma Rookie

updownsigma

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Sorry if this has already been posted. And even if it hasn't, I know it's the millionth draft grade thread. Oh well.

Anyway. Bucky Brooks gives us a C+ (which is "bad" since teams never get below a C). It's hilarious though how he says "the Ealy pick didn't make much sense" then turns around and gives a completely valid justification for us making that pick (the Hardy situation). Brilliant. The main justification for giving us a C+ is of course, we didn't get a tackle.

Can't quote because I'm on my phone but:

"CAROLINA PANTHERS: Since winning the division last season with a patchwork roster, the Panthers have lost two franchise players (WR Steve Smith and OT Jordan Gross) and a host of key contributors. Although general manager Dave Gettleman plugged a few holes in free agency, the team needed to find a few blue-chippers at marquee positions in the draft to remain among the NFC's elite. First-round receiver Kelvin Benjamin certainly has game-changing potential as a big-bodied touchdown-maker with exceptional ball skills. He expands the strike zone for Cam Newton in the red zone while giving the Pro Bowl quarterback a go-to guy in the mold of Panther great Muhsin Muhammad. The second-round pick didn't make as much sense. Gettleman's affinity for big, athletic defenders comes from his positive experiences with the Giants, but critics instantly wondered why the Panthers bypassed a pressing need at offensive tackle to select yet another pass rusher in Kony Ealy. Of course, when the pick was made, Gettleman and Co. undoubtedly were considering the unclear future of pass rusher Greg Hardy, given his impending free agency following this season. Then, on Tuesday, Hardy was arrested on a domestic assault charge, which obviously adds to the uncertainty going forward. Still, the thought of ignoring a glaring hole on Newton's blind side surely led to some head-scratching around Charlotte. Tre Boston and Bene Benwikere are intriguing secondary defenders with the potential to slide into key roles as rookies. Gettleman couldn't address all of the team's biggest needs during the draft, but he snatched up a handful of athletic talents with upside. GRADE: C+"

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/0ap2000000350546/article/2014-nfl-draft-grades-seahawks-colts-among-underachievers?campaign=Facebook_writers_brooks

The more I think about it, I really don't see how you can dislike our first 3 rounds. We came away with two day one starters and a guy with first round talent who's going to likely be a starter by year 2 or 3. After that the picks were more questionable, but whatever, I don't think a Draft class's success hinges on late rounders filling needs.

If we can come away with 3 solid starters, then this draft blows most of Hurney's "round one and done" drafts out of the water. Of course, it's critical Ealy and Turner contribute, because finding just one stud and then nothing else (like we did with Cam and Luke) is a slow slow way to build a team (as we saw with Hurney).

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BigCat Newbie

BigCat

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I feel unlike Hurney draft, Gettleman's first two drafts are a vast improvement. We got Star KK Klein last year and even Lester and White as UDFA. This year we could have potential of 3-4 solid players as well.

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top dawg Grand Master

top dawg

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The mediocre draft grades are pretty simple to understand, and fair when looking at what we needed as opposed to what we got. But the silver lining is hopefully the players that we did get will have a more immediate impact.  Moreover, Panthers fans better hope that either McNutt, King, or Brown turns into a legitimate threat, or that we add a vet at WR, as well as LT before the season starts.

 

 

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Guest Irv

Guest Irv

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I really really hate draft grades i mean how can you grade something when you dont have the answer key? clowney, sammy watkins and maziel all could bust and Billy whogivesashit could end up being rookie of the year.

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updownsigma Rookie

updownsigma

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The mediocre draft grades are pretty simple to understand, and fair when looking at what we needed as opposed to what we got. But the silver lining is hopefully the players that we did get will have a more immediate impact. Moreover, Panthers fans better hope that either McNutt, King, or Brown turns into a legitimate threat, or that we add a vet at WR, as well as LT before the season starts.

I get how they give the grades. While it makes "sense," I don't think it correlates well with how a draft class looks 3 years down the road. Which seems like what the point of draft grades should be.

Maybe we draft a LT in the first round next year who becomes the next Gross for us for 10 years. Maybe Bell's left handedness really is the key to protecting Cam's blind side. (Kinda doubt that one though...) Then 3 years from now no one will care we didn't draft a T in the 4th round this year or w/e we "should" have done.

That being said, I wish we had gotten a T. I'm just not willing to write our draft off because of it.

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updownsigma Rookie

updownsigma

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Does anyone know if theirs ever been an undrafted rookie of the year

Pretty sure there hasn't been. There have been some HOFers but even they didn't contribute until their 2nd or 3rd year. There could be someone from like the 1960s or something that I don't know of though.

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top dawg Grand Master

top dawg

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I get how they give the grades. While it makes "sense," I don't think it correlates well with how a draft class looks 3 years down the road. Which seems like what the point of draft grades should be.

Maybe we draft a LT in the first round next year who becomes the next Gross for us for 10 years. Maybe Bell's left handedness really is the key to protecting Cam's blind side. (Kinda doubt that one though...) Then 3 years from now no one will care we didn't draft a T in the 4th round this year or w/e we "should" have done.

That being said, I wish we had gotten a T. I'm just not willing to write our draft off because of it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

 

Perhaps in a perfect world, everyone would base their grades on their long term success, but that's not really practical, newsworthy or exciting.  We want immediate gratification and entertainment.  That being said, the draft has many facets and repercussions, and it is fair in some respects to grade drafts based upon the present because team personnel is fluid and the window for success when you're close will not be open forever.  Now, of course I suppose that there is an argument for the way that G-man drafted (just like there is one against his philosophy) because it may lead to sustained success over time. But, on the other hand, I am sure that other people would say that it is prudent to strike when the irons are hot.

 

 At the end of the day, I think that there's more guesswork in the equation than most people are willing to admit, whether  you're a layman or a professional.

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BigCat Newbie

BigCat

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If teams were building to win 2-3 years down the road this would have been a great draft. Only teams like the Seahawks and SF can draft like that because no rookies will beat out their starters anyway. Teams with a bunch of core needs have no business drafting luxuriously. So whether we win 11 games and make the playoffs we're not going deep. This is a team preparing for 2015 season. And then again, when 2015 start we might find out we have even more holes to plug. The secondary can prove to be an even bigger hole as we get exposed by teams that drastically improved in the receiving corp, like Tampa. I guess Gettleman has some learning to do on the the job.

It's true Dave Gettleman is building for the future, what team isn't. However, to do that he must correct mistakes made by the former regime. What the media and some fans fail to understand IS who has taken over either a business or what have, access the situation and made changes without there being setbacks. We as fans need to be patient, Good Ole JR did what we wanted and hired a competent GM.

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