Panther Grades from around the web

[Fidel Cashflow]

Carolina Panthers: It's appropriate former safety turned Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis was the man to introduce Shaq Thompson as Carolina's pick, as there are similarities. Call Thompson whatever you'd like, his athleticism, awareness and ball skills make him a playmaker, just as Davis (a former safety at Georgia) proved to be for the Panthers. Carolina continued its untraditional approach in the second round with massive wideout Devin Funchess, who physically reminds people a lot of last year's top pick, Kelvin Benjamin. While neither offers elite agility or speed to fit every offense, both can high point passes with the best -- giving the strong-armed but somewhat erratic Cam Newton massive targets. The Panthers seemingly build annually to their running back stable and found another underrated talent in Cameron Artis-Payne. Tackle Daryl Williams, however, could offer more immediate impact. Grade: B-minus

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25172630/nfc-south-team-grades-falcons-swoop-in-steal-the-spotlight

 

 

It's only fitting that Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis, as the NFL's 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year, announced the selection of Thompson. He is practically a Mini-Me version of Davis, with a little more speed and a similar 'tweener's conundrum. A fantastic playmaker whom head coach Ron Rivera will find many ways to use, he was high on everyone's board until his pedestrian combine performance.

Once the pads go on, no one will doubt this pick.

Funchess gives the Panthers a trio of pass-catchers all 6'4" or taller, giving them another weapon in the height arms race. Questions about his ability to separate, concentrate and make the easy catches make him a lesser copy of, rather than a natural complement to, Kelvin Benjamin.

Williams is a big, strong flex guard/tackle prospect who can restore some of the attitude to the Panthers' run game. The question is, can he protect quarterback Cam Newton? Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman gave up a lot of value to get Williams, so the answer had better be yes.

Grade: C-

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2451415-2015-nfl-draft-grades-report-cards-for-all-32-gms

 

 

CAROLINA PANTHERS: The Panthers made a debatable pick in the opening round by taking Shaq Thompson. There are questions as to whether he will be a safety or a linebacker in the NFL. If the Panthers project Thompson as a safety, they could have taken Landon Collins instead. They did get an interesting player in the second round in Devin Funchess but will have to figure out whether he will be a tight end or a wide receiver. Carolina lacked a third-round pick and probably needed to do more to maximize its early choices. The Panthers did make a fourth-round bid to address their ongoing issues on the offensive line by taking G Daryl Williams. But that might not have been enough in that area.

Grade: C-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/05/02/2015-nfl-draft-grades-jets-falcons-come-up-aces-while-hauls-of-colts-panthers-seem-suspect/#3

 

 

 

 

Round Pick Overall Player School Position Grade 1 25 25 Thompson, Shaq Washington LB C- 2 9 41 Funchess, Devin Michigan WR/TE B- 4 3 102 Williams, Daryl Oklahoma OT B+ 5 33 169 Mayo, David Texas State LB C 5 38 169 Artis-Payne, Cameron Auburn RB C

 

Shaq Thompson was a great college player, but analysts were genuinely unsure of what position to play him at in the NFL. Some thought safety, some thought a light linebacker who plays on the weakside of the formation. Some even thought running back, where he starred at times for the Huskies.

If anything there is precedent. He goes to Carolina where he has a twin in the person of Thomas Davis. Davis was a college safety at Georgia who moved to weakside linebacker in the NFL. Despite multiple ACL injuries, Davis has crafted out a nice NFL career because of exceptional movement skills—the same type Thompson possesses.

In the immediate future, it’s unsure how Thompson fits into the Panthers’ plans. But long-term it’s rather obvious he is the successor to Davis at the “Will” linebacker spot. That wasn’t the only head-scratcher though.

Moving up to pick Devin Funchess didn’t make a ton of sense, given that he’s practically a clone of Kelvin Benjamin. It appears Gettleman has a type, and he’s not afraid of putting those types next to one another.

But if the Panthers were going to move up to get a good system fit, they should have just moved up a few more picks to take Ohio State receiver Devin Smith, who could have occupied a missing piece in their offense as a legitimate deep threat. Or they could have stood still in the second-round and taken Chris Conley, who is also an exemplary deep threat. Either one would have made more sense than the Benjamin, err Funchess pick.

It wasn’t all confounding, however, as Gettleman got great value by selecting Oklahoma offensive tackle Daryl Williams who will come in and start from Day one at right tackle ahead of the dumpster pile of right tackle options currently on the Panthers’ roster. That’s great value in the fourth-round.

Unfortunately that was the only pick which matched value with need. David Mayo in the fifth-round could have been great value from a best player available perspective, but with only five picks it would have made more sense to take a player who fit more of a need.

A similar sentiment could be said of Gettleman’s selection of Cameron Artis-Payne. While the Panthers aren’t as running back dominated on their salary cap as they once were after ridding themselves of Deangelo Williams this offseaon, running back still wasn’t a huge need. And again, the whole five picks thing.

Artis-Payne also was not the best back on the board, and doesn’t really project as a third down back or to fill any kind of specialty role.

Overall, Gettleman’s draft doesn’t make a ton of sense. It’s impossible to give him any more than a passing grade. He gets that because I’m a generous grader.

Overall Grade: C

http://fansided.com/2015/05/03/2015-nfl-draft-grades-carolina-panthers/

 

 

CAROLINA PANTHERS: The Panthers made a debatable pick in the opening round by taking Shaq Thompson. There are questions as to whether he will be a safety or a linebacker in the NFL. If the Panthers project Thompson as a safety, they could have taken Landon Collins instead. They did get an interesting player in the second round in Devin Funchess but will have to figure out whether he will be a tight end or a wide receiver. Carolina lacked a third-round pick and probably needed to do more to maximize its early choices. The Panthers did make a fourth-round bid to address their ongoing issues on the offensive line by taking G Daryl Williams. But that might not have been enough in that area.

Grade: C-

http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/news/sports/article_e53bac80-f148-11e4-9517-5761e2b7097f.html

 

 

 

 

[Fidel Cashflow]

Post them if you got 'em

[top dawg]

Meh. These post-draft gradings are akin to pre-draft mocks. Take everything that's said with a block of salt, or just disregard all this noise in general.

[gettlemanjack]

OP, your 3rd and 5th links are exactly the same, both written by Mark Maske.

[ickmule]

Obviously all of these writers have misplaced the A on their keyboards.

[uncfan888]

I have decided to give all these draft experts an F without even looking at their work... Seems fair, since they're doing the same to our picks

[FootballMaestro]

Couldn't care less about what these people have to say.

 

The Panther draft  appears to be something very personal to Gettleman, Rivera and team. So I'm not surprised that the general media (who didn't take the time the Panthers did to analyze, test and interview these players) would not see things the way the Panthers did.

 

We'll see when the season starts?

[Fidel Cashflow]

I think Carolina’s second-round selection of wide receiver/tight end Devin Funchess—and last year’s first-round selection of Kelvin Benjamin—will only pay full dividends if a true speed receiver is brought in to threaten coverages over the top. (Veteran Ted Ginn isn’t a quality every-down player.) Conceptually, Carolina’s array of plodding receivers (throw Jerricho Cotchery into the mix) is too easy to defend.

 

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/05/03/2015-nfl-post-draft-analysis/

[WOW!!]

Good. I like it that they don't like our picks. Usually, it works out for us.

Don't you need a new sig??

[Frank Hollywood]

He will come in and start right away over our dumpster fire of right tackles? Someone hasn't done their h.w on remmers.

[Fidel Cashflow]

D Grade
Goals Entering the 2015 NFL Draft: It's well known which two positions the Panthers have to address in the draft: receiver and offensive tackle. They do have other needs, though. A third linebacker, an upgrade at safety and another running back have to be acquired.


2015 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I slotted Shaq Thompson to the Panthers at No. 25 in one of my final mock drafts because I knew they liked him, but I ultimately made the decision to move him to Carolina's pick in the second round because I thought he was too much of a reach with the 25th-overall choice. Other teams we spoke to felt the same way, slotting Thompson in the second frame. Thus, it's apparent the Panthers reached for him. Thompson doesn't have a truly defined position in the NFL, so using a first-rounder on him is a curious move.

Having said that, taking Thompson at No. 25 was brilliant compared to what happened next. The Panthers dealt multiple picks to move up for Devin Funchess, another player who doesn't have a real position. Funchess is too small to be a tight end and too slow to be a receiver, so where does he fit in? He was expected to slide, so if the Panthers truly coveted him, they could have obtained him (or a similarly talented receiver/tight end) with their own selection in the second round. Taking a major reach is bad enough; using multiple resources to do so is beyond disastrous.

Two of Carolina's third-day selections salvaged this grade from being a Millen. Daryl Williams was a nice bargain pick and could end up starting, while Cameron Artis-Payne provided great value in Round 6. However, neither prospect is good enough to offset what transpired earlier, as well as the fact that the Panthers made only one upgrade to their beleaguered offensive line.

http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftgradesteam.php

[Jeremy Igo]

These will be funny next year, like last year's grades.

[Fidel Cashflow]

What I don't understand is why the hate?  We needed another WR weapon for Cam and OT and we drafted them.

What's the problem? 

It's like last year with Benjamin. The experts were mad woth the pick beacuse it wasn't Marquice Lee.

[jfo89]

 

 

 

CAROLINA PANTHERS: The Panthers made a debatable pick in the opening round by taking Shaq Thompson. There are questions as to whether he will be a safety or a linebacker in the NFL. If the Panthers project Thompson as a safety, they could have taken Landon Collins instead. They did get an interesting player in the second round in Devin Funchess but will have to figure out whether he will be a tight end or a wide receiver. Carolina lacked a third-round pick and probably needed to do more to maximize its early choices. The Panthers did make a fourth-round bid to address their ongoing issues on the offensive line by taking G Daryl Williams. But that might not have been enough in that area.

Grade: C-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/05/02/2015-nfl-draft-grades-jets-falcons-come-up-aces-while-hauls-of-colts-panthers-seem-suspect/#3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My god, this guy needs to do his homework before writing. Watch a press conference at least you lazy bastard.