Round 1 - Carolina Panthers Select Shaq Thompson

[mmmbeans]

Shaq Thompson's specialty is creating and returning turnovers. In particular ripping the ball out when other players are making a tackle or being in position to scoop and score.  Is that not the perfect player to put next to Kuechly?

 

that aspect of his game kind of reminds me of ed reed.  that's pretty exciting in and of itself.

[panthers55]

I still wanted Perriman at this pick.  We will see what Thompson can do and obviously we will pick a receiver in this draft.  Still with 4.2 speed at that size, I think he would have been ideal for Cam.

[Seltzer]

i hated it. i mean damn fletcher cox was right there and we needed a DT so bad!1

i learned a lesson from that draft

And this very board absolutely killed Hurney for picking Kuechly over Cox...

Myself included...

[KendrickPanther]

you and people like you are missing the point. Panthers got a steal. He's going to be an impact player next year and was certainly BPA. 

 

Based on what? There are tons of people that had him going in the second. I think he's a good player but BPA doesn't mean anything. BPA has a different meaning for every franchise, GM, and fan. Who says "I took the second best player available!".

 

He's not a bad pick but we need to build the offense.

[MrPickles]

And this very board absolutely killed Hurney for picking Kuechly over Cox...

Myself included...

 

 

In fairness, Fletcher Cox is very good. Just not better than Kuechly.

[Seltzer]

I still wanted Perriman at this pick. We will see what Thompson can do and obviously we will pick a receiver in this draft. Still with 4.2 speed at that size, I think he would have been ideal for Cam.

We already have a former top 10 pick on the team with questionable hands

And Ginn still has top-end speed. How would Perriman be different. Other than Kevin White or Amani Cooper, I don't think there's a wide receiver so superior we can't wait until the 2nd or 3rd round for.

And I still wouldn't be shocked if Gettleman picks a Defensive Lineman or CB in the 2nd.

We still have 8 picks left. And there is still a lot of WR/OT depth left in the draft according to people who get paid to know.

The LB/S depth was very slim and we got a player with tremendous upside.

Nobody knows how Shaq will end up but I don't think we've missed our chance on getting a WR that could be a potential #2 yet either.

I don't know that Gettleman wouldn't see RB2 as a bigger need right now than WR2

[KJ89]

Jeremy is probably busy with the awesome party at his studio. So here is where you can bitch about Shaq Thompson in one place that we can bump in a year to make you look silly.

This. I'm extremely excited with the pick. However they use him he'll be a beast.

[OldNorthPowell]

We already have a former top 10 pick on the team with questionable hands

And Ginn still has top-end speed. How would Perriman be different. Other than Kevin White or Amani Cooper, I don't think there's a wide receiver so superior we can't wait until the 2nd or 3rd round for.

And I still wouldn't be shocked if Gettleman picks a Defensive Lineman or CB in the 2nd.

We still have 8 picks left. And there is still a lot of WR/OT depth left in the draft according to people who get paid to know.

The LB/S depth was very slim and we got a player with tremendous upside.

Nobody knows how Shaq will end up but I don't think we've missed our chance on getting a WR that could be a potential #2 yet either.

I don't know that Gettleman wouldn't see RB2 as a bigger need right now than WR2

 

 

All people like me are asking when questioning the pick is are you going to be the one to say WTF half way through next season when our offense is putrid and we are losing because of it?

[Lilsmitty09]

Scouts Inc. had Perriman with a 90 Grade and the 20th overall player. Meanwhile Shaq Thompson is graded 78 and 69th overall.

 

There was 4 other OLB graded higher than Shaq who were still available. 

 

Scouts Inc also graded Cam a 93 while Blaine Gabbert was a 96.

 

Should know these "ratings" mean nothing.

[twylyght]

TD heir apparent

[TheRumGone]

You guys are gonna feel like dummies when shaqs explosive plays win us ball games. Defensively offensively and special teams.

This dude can do it all. Love the pick.

[Lilsmitty09]

I don't think people realize this is not only a good "insurance" policy for TD, but also a good "secondary" addition when we plug him into guarding slots/rbs/tes

[CPantherKing]

you and people like you are missing the point. Panthers got a steal. He's going to be an impact player next year and was certainly BPA. 

 

I have been detailing this for the past month. I did not want to go into it too much because the Panthers slow played this to perfection.

 

As for the people who understand the growth of the spread offense and hybrid TE in short yardage, they get this pick. For everyone who still thinks teams play a base 4-3 most of the time will throw out the Thomas Davis comparison from 10 years ago. The NFL has changed.

 

There was one position the Panthers could not fill and that was the hybrid LB/SS. Colin Jones finished the season in this spot. When you see the S or CB playing near the line and in the box this is called the Big Nickel. I have talked about it previously. Here is a link if you need to read about it.

 

google the articles here

 

Read up there are several articles on it.

 

Shaq Thompson is going to play OLB - not safety. He will line up in a 4-3 and when the offense spreads out Shaq becomes the Big Nickel. Spread offenses have been using this to give an edge to their QB to pre snap read the defense and know if it is in zone or man. With a hybrid OLB that is no longer an advantage. Why do you think the Seahawks do so well on defense? This throws QBs for a loop and causes more mistakes and delays.

 

Last season the Panthers had AJ Klein/Chase Blackburn getting caught in pass coverage, and Bene Benwikere would get caught in a run play and crossing routes from these spread formations in short yardage. Shaq instantly solves that and he frees up Kuechly and Davis on day one.

 

The Panthers now have the defensive personnel by adding Shaq and Tillman to run big nickel and big dime packages that will rival that of the Seahawks while neutralizing QB pre snap reads and spread offenses. For long passing downs the Panthers will still use a traditional nickel and dime which will replace Shaq with Tillman or Bene in the nickel. Shaq will be in that OLB and Big Nickel postion on all short yardage downs.

 

This is huge. The Patriots and Seahawks have been doing this for a few years now.

 

Also, keep in mind Shaq can team with Ginn on kickoff returns, and he can play gunner.

 

What I find interesting is this notion I have heard rumblings of that the Panthers want to select Ty Montgomery later in the draft. The idea is to pair Ty and Shaq at the RB position in a read option package with Cam Newton. Might be 6 to 10 plays a game in the red zone. You can go from having Ty and Shaq in the backfield to a spread offense in the red zone with both at receiver. 

 

Hope this helps. If you do not understand the formations and the amount they are used, then just wait till the season and the 4 game stretch against the spreads on short yardage you will see against the Packers, Eagles, Seahawks, and Colts. You will be thrilled to have Kuechly, Davis, Shaq and Tillman then when those QBs are left guessing if it is man or zone pre snap. If it were Kuechly, Davis, Klein/Colin Jones, and Bene in the box, I guarantee you those QBs will know where they are going and if they are audibling to a run or screen 5 seconds before the snap.

[Mother Grabber]

in next year's redraft he'll be a top 15 pick.