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Jourdan Rodrigue's excellent/exciting/realistic Panthers mock draft


TheSpecialJuan

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Round 1, Pick 8

O.J. Howard, tight end, Alabama.

I grow more committed to this pick as the days pass.

Many draft analysts project Howard as a top-10 pick, and I agree. I also think the idea of Howard, a fast, strong pass-catcher with the uncanny ability to create space against tight coverage, lining up opposite of Greg Olsen in a two-tight-end set would send a shiver through the NFC South.

Howard not only is a formidable presence as a receiver but also can really block in pass protection if needed. Quarterback Cam Newton certainly needs all the help he can get in that department, and weaponizing the offense is probably the biggest item left on the Panthers’ to-do list after some offensive line tasks were tidied up in free agency.

Gettleman’s inner monologue: “It’s very possible that Leonard Fournette, another sure top-10 pick, gets selected before the we pick at No. 8. We need explosive offensive playmakers, and Fournette has been projected often to go at No. 8. But while there are many backs that are similar to Fournette in this year’s draft, there are few all-around complete offensive packages like Howard. This is the ‘best player available’ mentality correlating with ‘most needed’ and ‘best fit.’ Ah, cohesion.”

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/

 

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