Draft Analyst thoughts on Panthers Draft Class

[TheSpecialJuan]

 

Chad Reuter - NFL.com

Carolina Panthers 
Draft picks: Maryland WR D.J. Moore (No. 24 overall), LSU CB Donte Jackson (No. 55 overall), Tennessee DB Rashaan Gaulden (No. 85 overall), Indiana TE Ian Thomas (No. 101 overall), Mississippi LB Marquis Haynes (No. 136 overall), Maryland LB Jermaine Carter (No. 161 overall), North Carolina LB Andre Smith (No. 234 overall), Miami DT Kendrick Norton (No. 242 overall). 
Day 1 grade: A 
Day 2 grade: A 
Day 3 grade: A 
Overall grade: A 
The skinny: Moore was the best receiver in the draft. He's fast, quick, elusive, and tough. Get him the ball and let him go. Cam Newton needs more weapons, and now he's got a very good one. Jackson is a sticky corner who has no fear. If he wasn't so slight, he might have gone sooner. Despite his frame, he's willing to mix it up with any receiver. The Panthers got a good one to replace Daryl Worley in Gaulden, who is a physical defensive back that went in the correct part of the draft. The Panthers can play him at safety, corner, or nickel. Carolina moved out of the third round, ending up with the top pick of Day 3 plus a fifth-round pick. They picked Thomas kick off the festivities on Saturday morning, a value pick at a need position. They traded up to get the active and long Haynes as a pass rusher.

 

Andy Benoit - SI.com

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Generally the Panthers think that having a talented defensive front seven can make mid- and late-round defensive backs play better. But this year, most of the front-seven players in Carolina are under contract through 2020 or beyond, while every defensive back—save for slot specialist Captain Munnerlyn—is due to hit free agency before then. So, restituted GM Marty Hurney went defensive back with his second and third picks, taking speedy, boom-or-bust corner Donte Jackson and multifaceted safety/slot man/corner Rashaan Gaulden.

Before that, however, Hurney addressed Carolina’s putrid wide receiver situation. With all wideouts still on the board, he took D.J. Moore, who some see as a potentially more polished DeAndre Hopkins. Moore’s success playing with Cam Newton could come down to his ball adjustment skills. Fourth-round tight end Ian Thomas is also an important selection. The Panthers, with their multi-actioned rushing attack and play-action game, are at their best in two-tight end packages, but they entered the draft without a quality contributor behind Greg Olsen.

Grade: A-

 

Dane Brugler - NFLDraftScout.com  - Panther #3 best draft class 

 

Mel Kiper Jr - ESPN 

Carolina Panthers: A-

Top needs: Wide receiver, cornerback, defensive end

Like their NFC South rivals in Atlanta, the Panthers went with a wide receiver in Round 1, taking Maryland's own D.J. Moore at No. 24. I'm a big fan of Moore, who is more than a workout warrior, though he put up freakish numbers at the combine with a 4.42 40 time and 39.5-inch vertical. He was productive for the Terps, and he's great after the catch. He runs through arm tackles, and he's built like a tailback. The Panthers needed a guy like that for Cam Newton, and it wasn't going to be veteran Torrey Smith (another Terp), who was brought in last month. Moore could be Newton's favorite target in a hurry.

After parting ways with Daryl Worley, the Panthers needed cornerbacks to compete for the spot opposite James Bradberry. They added two on Day 2 with Donte Jackson (pick 55), one of the fastest players in this class (4.32 40), and Rashaan Gaulden (85), who I had rated as more of a sixth-round talent. (Remember that veteran safety Kurt Coleman is no longer with the team.) Jackson is only 5-10 and 178 pounds, but he's an elite athlete. Ian Thomas could develop into the heir apparent to Greg Olsen, and to get my fourth-ranked tight end at 104 is great value. Marquis Haynes (136) is another good player on Day 3.

If there's an issue with this class, it's not getting a pass-rusher. Are they really going to rely on 38-year-old Julius Peppers to play almost 500 snaps again? Mario Addison is also going to be 31 by Week 1, and you face Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Jameis Winston six times a year in that division. I liked the depth of this class, though, and won't ding it too much. There is value from top to bottom.

 

Nate Davis - USA Today 

Carolina Panthers: C-

First-round WR DJ Moore is a nice player, but how much does he diversify an offense that already has so many short-area passing targets (Devin Funchess, Greg Olsen, Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Samuel). Second-round CB Donte Jackson provides 4.3 speed. But at 5-11 and 178 pounds, won't he be seriously overmatched by NFC South WRs like Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and Mike Evans?

 

 

 

[TheSpecialJuan]

Vinnie Iyer - Sporting News 

Carolina Panthers: B+

Draft picks: WR D.J. Moore (Maryland), CB Donte Jackson (LSU), S Rashaan Gaulden (Tennessee), TE Ian Thomas (Indiana), DE Marquis Haynes (Ole Miss), ILB Jermaine Carter (Maryland), ILB Andre Smith (North Carolina), DT Kendrick North (Miami)

Marty Hurney is back on the job with a solid draft. Moore is the spectacular pick, but the speedy Jackson and the nasty Gaudlen fit key needs in the secondary. Thomas is a good kid to groom as a receiver behind Greg Olsen. It was also good that the Panthers got some situational pass rush in Haynes

 

Washington Post

Carolina Panthers: B

Analysis: It’s interesting that the Panthers made D.J. Moore, not Calvin Ridley, the first WR taken in the draft at No. 24 overall. But that’s defensible, given that some analysts had Moore even with Ridley or slightly ahead of him, and it addressed a major need for the Carolina offense. Focusing on the secondary in the second and third rounds made sense, particularly with second-round CB Donte Jackson.

 

[CarolinaSamurai]

Thank you very good compilation of grades

[TheSpecialJuan]

Rob Rang 

Carolina Panthers

Count former Panthers Pro Bowl wideout Steve Smith Sr. among those impressed with the club's decision to make Maryland pass-catcher D.J. Moore the first receiver off the board in 2018. Moore offers a similar skill-set as Smith, projecting as the perfect complement to a running game featuring Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey and big receiver Devin Funchess. The Panthers might have the ideal defensive back if they could morph their next two selections - Donte Jackson and Rashaan Gaulden - into one player. Jackson was the fastest player at the Combine (officially clocking in at 4.32 seconds) but isn't nearly as instinctive or physical as Gaulden, who did everything at Tennessee except run well, clocking in at 4.69 in the 40-yard dash at his March 19 Pro Day after timing 4.61 (officially) at the Combine. Both played multiple positions for their respective SEC teams and could wind up doing the same in the NFL, providing Carolina intriguing flexibility in a division loaded with explosive receivers. Tight end Ian Thomas is not as gifted as Greg Olsen but he should be able to fill the complementary role of free-agent departure Ed Dickson (who signed with Seattle). Fellow fourth-rounder Marquis Haynes is an explosive, if undersized edge rusher, addressing a key need.

Grade: C-plus

[TheSpecialJuan]

WalterFootball.com -  NFL Draft Individual Grades: 

24. D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland A Grade 
I imagine there will be some publications who think D.J. Moore was taken too early, or that Calvin Ridley should have been the pick, but I can tell you this: One team in the teens had Moore as its No. 2 option. Moore could have gone about 8-12 selections earlier than this, so I think this is great value. 

Moore definitely fills a huge need as well. The Panthers had no No. 1 receiver, thanks to the Kelvin Benjamin trade, and Moore certainly changes that. 


55. Donte Jackson, CB, LSU A+ Grade 
Wow, Donte Jackson is another player I forgot was on the board. Some people in the media had Jackson in the first round, but teams said they had high second-round grades on him. Jackson slipped a bit, so the Panthers are lucky to pick him up. Jackson, quite possibly the best slot cornerback in this class, will provide a big upgrade for Carolina's pedestrian secondary. 


85. Rashaan Gaulden, CB/S, Tennessee A Grade 
Rashaan Gaulden is a very versatile player who should be able to help the Panthers' atrocious secondary in some regard. I love the idea of picking Tennessee prospects because Butch Jones was such a horrible coach that he didn't get anything out of his players. Gaulden is a second-round talent. 


101. Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana A Grade 
This is a great bargain, as Ian Thomas should've gone in the third round and maybe even could've snuck into the second frame. Thomas doesn't have much production in college, but he has immense upside. By the time he's ready to play, Greg Olsen will likely be retired. 

136. Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss B Grade 
The Panthers traded up for a pass-rusher, which makes sense. They need some young blood on the edge, and Marquis Haynes makes sense in this range as a solid fourth-round prospect. 


161. Jermaine Carter, LB, Maryland C Grade 
Jermaine Carter tested very well in the lead up to the draft, running a 4.69. Still, he's a raw player who probably should've been taken in the sixth round at the earliest. He can provide depth when Thomas Davis is serving his suspension. 


234. Andre Smith, LB, North Carolina C+ Grade 
Andre Smith made a poor decision by declaring early after an injury-ridden 2017 campaign. Smith has athleticism limitations and will only be a two-down run-stuffing linebacker in the very best case scenario. Smith is fortunate to be drafted. 


242. Kendrick Norton, DT, Miami B+ Grade 
Kendrick Norton had a few nice moments at Miami, but was a disappointment for the most part. He should have played better than he did, so perhaps Ron Rivera will be able to get the most out of him. I had Norton in the sixth round, so there's some amount of value with this choice. 


Read more: http://walterfootball.com/offseason2018car.php#ixzz5E2hewuQA

[TheSpecialJuan]

PETE PRISCO

Carolina Panthers: A

They needed to get help for Cam Newton, and they did just that. It started with receiver D.J. Moore in the first round, who I believe is the best receiver in this draft. He will give them a different dimension for their passing game. They also got a needed corner in Donte Jackson, who was the fastest player in the draft, and then took a quality safety in third-round pick Rashaan Gaulden. I love fourth-round tight end Ian Thomas, who will be a nice second option behind Greg Olsen. Fourth-round edge player Marquis Haynes will help the outside pass rush as a situational player early in his career. They had a nice haul.

[Fox007]

Usually they destroy our drafts and say we're stupid. What do we make of this KOD?

[TheSpecialJuan]

PFF

1 (24) D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland, 84.6
2 (55) Donte Jackson, CB, LSU, 83.6
3 (85) Rashaan Gaulden, CB, Tennessee, 84.1
4 (136) Marquis Haynes, Edge, Ole Miss, 70.2
5 (161) Jermaine Carter, LB, Maryland, 59.1
7 (234) Andre Smith, LB, NC State, 78.3
7 (242) Kendrick Norton, DI, Miami (Fla.), 77.5

Day 1: Sitting at pick No. 24, the Carolina Panthers found themselves with the pick of the best wide receivers in this draft class, and a need at receiver that provided the perfect scenario. They elected to grab Maryland’s D.J. Moore, making him the top receiver selected in this draft. Moore effectively was the Maryland passing attack, seeing the ball come his way on 36 percent of his routes, the third-most in the draft class. He has excellent route running skills, and top end acceleration that manifests itself both in his patterns and after the catch with the ball in his hands. He forced 39 missed tackles on 146 career receptions and showed the skills to go up and get the ball in contested situations, albeit not consistently as he was able to catch just 38.5 percent of his contested targets. Moore dropped 15 passes on 161 catchable targets during his career, but that is a number that undoubtedly wasn’t aided by some questionable quarterback play in college.

Day 2: The second day of the draft was all about the secondary for Carolina, with the addition of cornerbacks in both the second and third round. Donte Jackson out of LSU has blazing 4.3 speed and incredible athleticism. He can mirror receivers and has experience in the slot or out wide. He is undersized, but incredibly physical and feisty, but plays notably better in man coverage than he does in zone. In the third round, the team snagged Rashaan Gaulden out of Tennessee, a bigger corner who has experience playing inside in the slot. The Panthers will need to decide which player moves inside to the slot and who mans the outside, but both players have a good shot of being two of their three primary corners in 2018.

Day 3: The Panthers selected TE Ian Thomas in the fourth round, giving them a player who averaged 9.2 yards after the catch in 2017, scoring five times from 35 targets. In the seventh, they drafted Kendrick Norton out of Miami, giving them a stout run defender up the middle who has notched 30 defensive stops over the past two seasons.

Overall grade: Average

[TheSpecialJuan]

WalterFootball.com

 Carolina Panthers: A+ Grade 

Goals Entering the 2018 NFL Draft: Carolina has two major glaring areas of need: the receiving corps and the secondary. It would be a big mistake if they left the draft without upgrading both of these spots. They have some other needs, but they absolutely have to acquire a receiver, a cornerback and a safety. 

2018 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Panthers' first three selections were used on their biggest needs, as they took a receiver, cornerback and safety in the initial three rounds. While some teams completely ignored needs this weekend, Carolina made a point to address them, all while selecting some of the top players on the board. 

There was some question about D.J. Moore, taken 24th overall, given that Calvin Ridley was still available. Some thought Ridley was the superior receiver, but I know for a fact that Moore was heavily considered by two teams in the teens, yet they passed on him only because some superior talents unexpectedly fell to them. 

Meanwhile, cornerback Donte Jackson provided excellent value at No. 55 overall. Jackson could have been chosen at the end of the first round without any complaints, so getting him near the bottom of Round 2 was a steal. Rashaan Gaulden, taken in the third frame, is a talented player who will help at safety. The Panthers will be hoping that Gaulden, like some other recent Tennessee prospects, will do much better in the NFL than they did in college. This has been a pattern because Tennessee players have been extremely poorly coached by Butch Jones. 

Carolina's great drafting continued into Day 3. Ultra-athletic tight end Ian Thomas will be a nice heir for Greg Olsen, while defensive end Marquis Haynes provided solid value at No. 136. In fact, the only pick I didn't like of Carolina's was fifth-round linebacker Jermaine Carter. 

This was an A+ draft for the Panthers. I loved pretty much everything they did, as they grabbed some very talented players and filled most of their biggest needs. 

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftgradesteam.php#ixzz5E7X6ixc7

[JawnyBlaze]

Lol at kiper. “Marquis Haynes is a good player, taken in the third round.” The VERY next sentence “my only complaint is they didn’t take a pass rusher.”  I mean, say what you will about his size and scheme fit, he’s definitely a pass rusher....

[JawnyBlaze]

But yea, this is easily the most positive coverage we’ve ever gotten of a draft haul

[TheSpecialJuan]

Remember a week ago when we loved Josh Norris' Panther mock draft:

Round 1 (24): WR D.J. Moore, Maryland - If the Panthers want Moore, they’ll have to select him in the first round (barring a trade back). He would (potentially) add a new dimension to the offense, explosion with the ball in his hands and true playmaking ability on the outside and inside. I could totally see corner or safety at this pick as well, but at some point, the Panthers must invest in more talent around Cam Newton, specifically at receiver.

Round 2 (55): S Jessie Bates, Wake Forest - It might be a stretch to think Bates would be available this late, but even recent years have seen a run on safeties take place in round two. Bates can handle a variety of alignments and might be a piece for the Panthers to build around in their secondary.

Round 3 (85): G Braden Smith, Auburn - The Panthers reportedly brought Smith in on a visit. He’s an outstanding athlete inside, exploding into his blocks or when getting to the second level. If the Panthers miss out on Frank Ragnow, Smith could be the target on day two.

Round 3 (88): EDGE Chad Thomas, Miami - At EDGE, the Panthers need something beyond band aids. Maybe that’s Daeshon Hall, but that can’t be relied upon entering the 2018 season. Thomas has plenty of size to play on the outside and is still developing his counters if his initial move is stopped.

Round 5 (161): CB Quenton Meeks, Stanford - It’s clear the Panthers like corners who aren’t afraid to come up and tackle, even on the edge. That is definitely Meeks. It does not appear their length “threshold” has carried over with Marty Hurney as GM.

Round 6 (197): TE Andrew Vollert, Weber State - The Panthers have some real questions beyond 2018, including replacements for Ryan Kalil and potentially Greg Olsen. Vollert is more of a move/receiving tight end, but his athleticism and production are great.

Round 7 (234): RB Jordan Wilkins, Ole Miss - I would love for the pick to be John Kelly here, and although some evaluators label him with an UDFA tag, I think he’s off the board. Enter Wilkins who fits the “hammer” role the team is apparently looking for.

Round 7 (242): QB Logan Woodside, Toledo - The Panthers still don’t have a real backup quarterback on their 

 

Our actual draft was 10X better

[Panthers8969]

Good thread. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing that so many people like this draft lol

[TheSpecialJuan]

26 minutes ago, Panthers8969 said:

Good thread. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing that so many people like this draft lol

True. These same analysts gave us good grades on last years class as well and that class turned out to be very disappointing.