Kiper grades the Panthers draft a....

[brandon_87]

The only really good pick IMO was Clausen and thats just because of the unbelievable value. It would have been real nice if instead of trading our 2nd next year for a 3rd we trade it and our current 3rd for another 2nd and gotten Tate. Edward was way too much of a reach. Even if you were convinced he would go soon, so what, he is a project that might never be more then a situational player.

I would give a B at best as well. Alright but could have been oh so much better.

once we drafted clausen I thought we would go for tate for sure, or had we grabbed gilyard and pike? lol, get them familiar u know, but I think we did reach for edwards way to much for sure, they could have waited till the 6th and if we had to trade into the 5th, not give up a 2nd next year

[Pazhoosier89]

For what its worth I remember the Panthers getting heat for taking a chance on another WR in the 3rd round that many thought would never amount to anything more than an average return name. Not saying that Edwards will become Smith but sometimes you have to take risks. And as to where he was drafted...you go by your board and you don't worry about where other people have someone ranked. And I would bet another team was looking at Edwards at the top of the 4th and that's why they made the trade.

Armanti was picked 89th overall. Hows that for symmetry. If he turns out to be half of what Smith is it will be a great pick.

[British_Panther]

Benardeu, Schwartz, Wilson...and those are just the ones the last couple drafts. Yes, 6th and 7th rounders do contribute and aren't just throw away camp dummies; that's what undrafted FAs are for.

Are they long shots? Sure, but you don't pick for the sake of picking. Could the FO have been content and just wanted to focus on STs at that point? Possible, but I highly doubt it.

I know we'd found valuable back ups in the late rounds before, but apparently we didn't need any line depth either side of the ball and you're way less likely to find complete DBs because there are so few.

I think there has been a shift in how we'll fill the roster especially with WR and DB. Before we picked projects who we hoped would step up and made them play ST in the mean time = crap ST.

Now I think our 7,8 DBs and 5,6 WRs are pure ST guys this year. We're trying to free up as much roster space as possible for ST, we signed loads of specialists in FA and we've drafted guys for speed, maybe they'll play defence one day but most likely if they make the roster its so they can make a difference in the kicking game.

[Miaoww]

I leave this short: quanity (not=) quality. Hell, why stop at three? Pike can't play STs, so that was a wasted pick riding the pine.

ONE-fine, TWO-okaaayy, THREE-WTF???

Because Meeks is also trying to find CBs that fit into his scheme. All three have the potential to excel in a cover 2 scheme.

[koolkatluke]

Some of you are complete idiots. The Pike pick in a 2-3 years could turn into a 1st-2nd or 3rd round pick. This is called "value picking" it's smothing the Pat's do all the time Pike shows anything another team needs a QB he becomes trade bait. Think Matt Cassel how many picks did he get the Pat's. Well Pike while being drafted in the 6th round could in up getting us a high draft pick. "Value look at it that way. High reward low risk.

[ncbobcat]

Because Meeks is also trying to find CBs that fit into his scheme. All three have the potential to excel in a cover 2 scheme.

Shows how good of scouts we have when you have to draft 3 guys to possibly land one long term.

Again, it looks more to me they were content with what they had done and were taking flyers on STers.

At best these guys are backups to the backups we already have.

Zone coverage guys that can't handle man.

[MadHatter]

Shows how good of scouts we have when you have to draft 3 guys to possibly land one long term.

Again, it looks more to me they were content with what they had done and were taking flyers on STers.

At best these guys are backups to the backups we already have.

Zone coverage guys that can't handle man.

That is what you do in the 6th and 7th round. You take flyers on athletes.

[ncbobcat]

That is what you do in the 6th and 7th round. You take flyers on athletes.

My point is we could have got one of those guys and looked at a TRUE backup center and a NT. Had we got that and not traded way our second, I would have been much happier with the draft.

[MadHatter]

My point is we could have got one of those guys and looked at a TRUE backup center and a NT. Had we got that and not traded way our second, I would have been much happier with the draft.

Maybe the scouts felt there was no one at Center or NT worth taking. We did sign a few Ol and DL as UDFA.

Actually there is not much diff in 7th rd picks and UDFA.

[ncbobcat]

Actually there is not much diff in 7th rd picks and UDFA.

True regarding 7ths and undrafted FA, but no NT as of yet. The guy from Temple is standard size.

[MadHatter]

We can always sign Hollis "The Other Fat Guy" Thomas if we need to.

[ncbobcat]

We can always sign Hollis "The Other Fat Guy" Thomas if we need to.

Cool! You do realize he's way too old, though. Something about those fat guys and a good run defense. Ours got dramatically better when ole Hollis joined us last year. Before that our interior line seemed as if they were on hindges in the manner they got pushed out of the way.

[British_Panther]

Cool! You do realize he's way too old, though. Something about those fat guys and a good run defense. Ours got dramatically better when ole Hollis joined us last year. Before that our interior line seemed as if they were on hindges in the manner they got pushed out of the way.

Yeah he was great last year at 35 but now at 36 he's WAY too old

[jpniner]

Claussen dropping, makes the Brown/Goodson trade not hurt in hindsight, IMO. Because they would've taken him 17th overall and paid first round money for the same player most likely.

Essentially, they ended up getting Brown/Goodson as our Second Round Pick this year if you think about. and our First Rounder at Second round money.

I think once this happened, they got happy and Liquored up which made them pull the trigger on the Edwards trade.