Panthers trade up to 9th pick of second round - select Devin Funchess

[VT_BABY]

If I'm an NFL GM, I have a group of paid, professional talent evaluators on my staff. These are men whose job is to do nothing but scout college players, and they have many years experience doing it.

I also have direct contact with the prospects themselves as well as their head coaches and position coaches if I wish. And of course, I've watched many of them at the Combine and the Senior Bowl (including practices).

By the time the draft rolls around, I'll have consulted heavily with both my professional talent evaluators and my team's coaching staff so that I know what they want and need. I'll also have done extensive scouting on opponents' strengths, weaknesses and tendencies (including in the Draft).

And all the people who did the work will be gathered together with me when the time comes to make the picks.

Given that as an NFL GM, I have all these people and resources at my disposal, you'll have to pardon me if I don't give a flying rip what Mel Kiper and Todd McShay think.

I'm not debating talent evaluation. I'm debating draft positioning. We got two guys that very few thought were 1st round talent, but most thought solid 2nd round talent. We paid a late 1st, late 2nd, late 3rd, and late 6th for that.

I'm happy with the players, I just think in this case the focus was too much on who *we* wanted than where those guys were likely to go on the draft board. For exams, who in front of us was going to take Funchess? None of those teams really needed WR, many took WR in the 1st, and none ultimately went WR. So were those 2 picks ultimately necessary?

I'm rarely a Monday Morning Quarterback, and I like the guys selected...but I just question the logic and the extra picks. I think we could've actually gotten both guys by trading DOWN and getting EXTRA picks. Not giving up picks.

[Sloth]

Sad about losing the 3rd round pick but otherwise pretty stoked. Glad we're not sitting on our hands in regards to the WR position.

[ed bell]

Gettleman already said we didn't need more picks... He sacrificed two in order to target a guy he saw as being vulnerable to being swiped before our pick. 27 picks went down after ours until a WR was taken. I think we made a solid move

[heelinfine]

Gross specifically said Dave tried to get him to stay.

So there's that...

But hey, whatever YOU say.

You should have realized by now,

that the only thing that matters is the narrative JOAT. Truth is inconvenient and should never get in the way.

[VT_BABY]

After seeing how the end of the 3rd round has played out, I'm more ok with the Funchess trade. Here are the players drafted at or after our pick at 89:

89. Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon St to Rams

90. Carl Davis, DT, Iowa to Ravens

91. Chaz Green, RT, Florida to Cowboys

92. Jeff Heuerman TE, Ohio St to Broncos

93. Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford to Colts

94. Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford to Packers

95. Matt Jones, RB, Florida to Redskins

96. Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington St to Browns

Call me crazy, but if Funchess can become the next Moose, and if Gettleman really had a 1st round grade on him, then moving up to get him was worth more than any of those guys at the end of the 3rd.

Still available at that spot in the 3rd round:

La'el Collins OT - LSU

T.J.Clemmings OT - Pitt

A bunch of good RB's (hopefully we can still grab one late)

[VerticalThreat]

If I'm an NFL GM, I have a group of paid, professional talent evaluators on my staff. These are men whose job is to do nothing but scout college players, and they have many years experience doing it.

I also have direct contact with the prospects themselves as well as their head coaches and position coaches if I wish. And of course, I've watched many of them at the Combine and the Senior Bowl (including practices).

By the time the draft rolls around, I'll have consulted heavily with both my professional talent evaluators and my team's coaching staff so that I know what they want and need. I'll also have done extensive scouting on opponents' strengths, weaknesses and tendencies (including in the Draft).

And all the people who did the work will be gathered together with me when the time comes to make the picks.

Given that as an NFL GM, I have all these people and resources at my disposal, you'll have to pardon me if I don't give a flying rip what Mel Kiper and Todd McShay think.

This a million times.

Seriously, everyone should watch this again: http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Dave-Gettleman-NFL-Draft-Preview/d0dc7d96-dde9-46c9-9331-5ddaf4877b35

DG is a scout at heart. I believe our scouting department is finally becoming legit. We're doing the little things and our coaching staff is participating in the process.

[Mr. Scot]

I'm not debating talent evaluation. I'm debating draft positioning. We got two guys that very few thought were 1st round talent, but most thought solid 2nd round talent. We paid a late 1st, late 2nd, late 3rd, and late 6th for that.

I'm happy with the players, I just think in this case the focus was too much on who *we* wanted than where those guys were likely to go on the draft board. For exams, who in front of us was going to take Funchess? None of those teams really needed WR, many took WR in the 1st, and none ultimately went WR. So were those 2 picks ultimately necessary?

I'm rarely a Monday Morning Quarterback, and I like the guys selected...but I just question the logic and the extra picks. I think we could've actually gotten both guys by trading DOWN and getting EXTRA picks. Not giving up picks.

Very few who?

Media guys, right? It'd have to be since you have no clue where any of the other actual teams had him rated.

Your argument is based on the words of guys whose opinion means nothing.

[gtanaka]

I like the pick personally. A bunch of people complaining but now he'll have a real quarterback and also have one of the best receiver coaches working with him.. And I bet a lot of you complaining he's more like a tight end were also some that loved our two tight end sets.. Either way it's gonna be mismatches galore.

[Jackofalltrades]

Still available at that spot in the 3rd round:

La'el Collins OT - LSU

T.J.Clemmings OT - Pitt

A bunch of good RB's (hopefully we can still grab one late)

Lol, makes the trade look even better. Why would you even list Collins?

[WUnderhill]

Really? At this point your using rumor as a fact. Stop it! It makes you look petty and arrogant. That maybe what you think happened but unless Gross told you in hushed tones while you two chums had a beer what happened. Shut the F.U.K up

Whoah there chief, don't get your panties too bunched up. I guess I forgot that auto-voiding contract, the one that Gross explicitly stated he did not like Gettleman for at his retirement presser, was just a rumor.

[*FreeFua*]

Funchess moving

[gtanaka]

Very few who?

Media guys, right? It'd have to be since you have no clue where any of the other actual teams had him rated.

Your argument is based on the words of guys whose opinion means nothing.

Exactly, we had him ranked high on our Board, what's to say other teams didn't too.. And it's easy to say all this stuff after it happens.. Hindsight is 20/20

[Mr. Scot]

Lol, makes the trade look even better. Why would you even list Collins?

And with Round Three over, all still available.

[h0llywood]

Something about these two picks.

Immediately reaction is I hate them. Then I end up loving them.