What is your first round draft priority (DE, RB, Safety, etc.) and why?

[pantherclaw]

Defense

Pass rusher

Why? 

Position value. 

1) QB ... we don't need one

2) LT ...none I feel is worth it....Doesn't mean we won't grab one.

3) DE ... Pass rusher and i believe there could be one available that would be a starter from day 1. 

4) MLB ... not at this time

It goes on from there, but that generally covers most top 10 picks unless there is a once in a generation type talent available.

 

[MrBubba]

Split between Adams and Fournette, then move on to DE, unless someone like Allen falls.  Could be talked into Howard, if he continues to impress at combine. 

[XClown1986]

My current top 5 in order of value to the Panthers (and likeliness of being available at #8):

1. Jamal Adams SS

2. Leonard Fournette RB

3. Malik Hooker FS

4. Derek Barnett DE

5. Solomon Thomas DE

 

Adams is the safety (and single defender at any position) that fits our system the best and would put our defense over the top. He would give us an elite player on the 3rd level which we desperately have been seeking. Star and KK at Level 1, Luke and Davis at Level 2, and Adams patrolling on Level 3 would be a nightmare for offensive coaches to gameplan against and immediately put us back in discussion to dethrone the explosive Falcons offense for the NFC South crown.

Fournette is a once in a generation combination of elite RB traits that you can't pass up if Adams is gone. He could have the effect on our offense that Elliott had for the Cowboys last season. This protects Cam as a runner, opens up play action, and gives Stewart a guy to split reps with to wear the hell out of any defense we come across. We instantly become the best running team in the NFL again with Fournette in the backfield.

Hooker would be the equivalent to Weddle with the Chargers for Rivera. We would finally be able to play formations with a single high safety look and not be exposed on the back end. Hooker has elite traits as a roaming sideline to sideline ballhawk, though right now his run support needs work. He would be a great get and would be a stalwart for 10 years on the back end.

Barnett at DE would be the first guy I would look at past guys like Allen and Garrett. Barnett has the combination of size, hand quickness, pass rush moves, run stopping ability, and bend that makes Gettleman jizz in his nippleshorts. Barnett's production in the SEC over the last 3 years is well-documented and he would be the first TRUE DE to come off of the board behind Garrett.

Lastly we have Solomon Thomas. This is a beast of a man without a real home on the DL. His best fit would be as a base end on run downs and to kick inside on passing downs. He is a HIGH effort player with an interesting combination of size and power for a DE. He lacks the athleticism of Barnett which contributes to his tweener status and puts him a notch below other DE prospects. However, this is a guy that seems like a Gettleman favorite, and I could see him pulling the trigger if the above guys are all gone.

 

**WILD CARD** One guy that could upset everything is OJ Howard. I think that the Panthers secretly love this guy and would love to pair him with Olsen and have him as Cam's reliable target for the next decade. Howard is the most complete TE prospect to come out in a very long time. He seriously has nearly ZERO flaws to his game. He is incredibly fast, has great hands, is a very good blocker, is a great character guy, and has shown up in big games. Wouldn't be shocked to see Howard be the pick at 8.

[NYPantherFan]

I don't think it's postion priority in the first round, but more so a player priority. DG said it best today that none of us expected Star to be there when he was when we picked. That being said, I think we are in a luxury spot at 8. We could see a guy like Adams fall (hopefully) or even a Allen. I think you take the top player on your board regardless of the position at 8. Drafting for need will haunt you in the long run. We also have the possibility to trade back a few spots which I wouldn't mind, might even prefer. 

With that said, my top 5 I'd want at 8 are:

Jamal Adams - SS

Solomon Thomas - DE

Corey Davis - WR

Leonard Fournette/Delvin Cook - RB

Ruben Foster - LB

 

[WOW!!]

If one of the 2 safeties are there you take them..

After that a pass rusher Barnett then Thomas..

Rb next..

I still feel you get better value with RB's in later rounds..

Shelf life are short..

A strong line makes avg. Rb's better..

Alot of talented RB can be had later..

Dude from Chicago was a 5th round pick...

 

[SIGCHI222]

RB, although it is becoming obvious that it's gotta be Fournette.  Dalvin is almost certainly off our board and the Great-White-Hope is a 20 position reach.

[Kevin Greene]

Once we fill our glaring need at LT through Free Agency setting up the draft the pick will be BPA.

That's why and that's how it should be.

EDIT: Oh, and not Founette, RB ain't worth such a high pick. But use our 2nd and compensatory to trade up if McCaffrey falls to the right spot.

[GoobyPls]

Its should be OT-WR-SS

[JawnyBlaze]

Speaking generically?  DE of course.  Garrett is the only DE (or defensive player at all) that sniffs Fournette's level though.  Fournette is to us what Luke was a few years ago. We already have an injury prone stud at the position, but the guy is a generational type player.  The Luke comparison just occurs to me, and it's pretty much perfect.  Devalued position (RBs and MLBs don't typically get taken this high) but potential to dominate at that position is through the roof. 

I'd be plenty happy with Adams or probably Hooker or Thomas if Fournette is gone, but if we passed on Fournette I'd be annoyed. 

[cam1uvrxoxo]

3 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

If Fournette is there, he's my priority. The only player in this draft I'd take over Fournette for our roster is Myles Garrett.

THIS

[Hoenheim]

16 minutes ago, JawnyBlaze said:

Speaking generically?  DE of course.  Garrett is the only DE (or defensive player at all) that sniffs Fournette's level though.  Fournette is to us what Luke was a few years ago. We already have an injury prone stud at the position, but the guy is a generational type player.  The Luke comparison just occurs to me, and it's pretty much perfect.  Devalued position (RBs and MLBs don't typically get taken this high) but potential to dominate at that position is through the roof. 

I'd be plenty happy with Adams or probably Hooker or Thomas if Fournette is gone, but if we passed on Fournette I'd be annoyed. 

Yup. The only way the Panthers should pass on Fournette is if Myles Garrett or Jonathan Allen is there.

That's assuming the Jaguars or Jets don't get him. Jets just released Revis , have horrible problems at CB and QB so it might hinge greatly on how he does for them in the combine. Jaguars are picking so high at #4 its difficult for me to see them picking an RB there with the talent pool available to them ESPECIALLY if Trubisky and Watson go 1 and 2 you think they would pass over Garrett , Adams, Allen for Fournette? Doubtful. 

I'd say there's a pretty good chance he'll be there when we pick unless he blows the doors off of all the combine poo and the Jags/Jets start looking at him as the reincarnation of Bo Jackson.

[micnificent28]

6 hours ago, chknwing said:

DE.  Its the only position that will make the most impact right away.  Fournette, hes gonna get backup minutes.  Saftey is going to take atleast a year to learn the system carolina uses.  A top DE that can rush the good QB's we have in our division is a must.  Carolina has to stop other teams from scoring.  With KK and Star in the middle, Addison and top 10 DE in the draft, thats going to be a Dline that will crush offenses.  Carolina needs to get back to having a dominate defense.

Defensive ends usually dont bust out until atleast year 3. Its probably the the position that takes the longest to make an impact.

[Cpt slay a ho]

Ask yourselves, with the way the game is transforming and fournettes running style, is highly possible at the NFL level he won't be as effective(concussion protocol procedures). Talent wise it's there for him I'm just worried his playing style won't transfer to the NFL given the protocol procedures


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[Soul Rebel]

Hard question, because I think we address SAF and OT in FA, so with that mentality, I see Fournette as being our top pick, but I also think he's gone to Jacksonville or the NYJ. Now that Revis is gone, I could also see the Jets going CB at 6.

To answer the question, I think our draft needs are RB>DE>SAF>OT.... which equates to..

Fournette > Thomas/Barnett/McDowell > Adams/Hooker

However, I really think if Adams or Hooker are there, then odds are Fournette went already.