Why draft AE as a project?

[AceMan]

Several years ago people were mad we spent a 3rd in an undersized PR/KR who was a project at WR.

Can we please stop this blatant lie

[CAVSS]

In other words, after two pre-season games, you are saying LaFell can't catch...I wonder how that assessment holds up in the long run, like, say, over the first half of a rookie season.....

No im saying that he couldn't catch in college. Its not an assumption its something I watched week in and week out during LSU games. Since he had played 0 preseason games when we drafted him it would have been rather difficult for our scouts or FO to have taken them into account. I hope he turns out to be great but I have to question the decision to draft a receiver who doesn't catch the ball with the game on the line.

[Chaos]

We drafted him solely based off the school that he went to that just so happens to have a large base in the Charlotte area. This was to appease fans that didn't have a single new player to get excited about from the offseason.

With a post like this, shouldn't you follow it with the /sarcasm thing?

[ed bell]

No im saying that he couldn't catch in college. Its not an assumption its something I watched week in and week out during LSU games. Since he had played 0 preseason games when we drafted him it would have been rather difficult for our scouts or FO to have taken them into account. I hope he turns out to be great but I have to question the decision to draft a receiver who doesn't catch the ball with the game on the line.

Fair enough, but of course the F.O. and scouts couldn't take the two pre-season games into account...where did that come from?...maybe we'll still get to see some substantial field time from him this year. This sounds like a pretty strong assessment and there really isn't much wiggle room. Basically you are saying that he isn't even close to a roster worthy WR in the NFL:

"No im saying that he couldn't catch in college. Its not an assumption its something I watched week in and week out during LSU games."

I hope you are exaggerating, but I don't have a bunch of SEC tape to review....I'm not an NFL scout...anyway, I guess we'll see....

[CAVSS]

Fair enough, but of course the F.O. and scouts couldn't take the two pre-season games into account...where did that come from?...maybe we'll still get to see some substantial field time from him this year. This sounds like a pretty strong assessment and there really isn't much wiggle room. Basically you are saying that he isn't even close to a roster worthy WR in the NFL:

I hope you are exaggerating, but I don't have a bunch of SEC tape to review....I'm not an NFL scout...anyway, I guess we'll see....

Not exaggerating at all. LSU is one of my favorite teams and I have watched almost every game he played in. My point of view isn't shared by everyone but it is shared by a lot of LSU fans. I have actually repeated to myself in game time situations; don't throw it to LaFell...don't throw it to LaFell...don't throw it to LaFell... Followed much to often by F**K!! *anouncer* aww LaFell had his hands on it. *anouncer*

I very very very much hope that i am wrong. If he really works for it and learns to catch and be a clutch player I will make the most exuberant apology the huddle has ever had the pleasure of hosting. But I stand on my statement that it was foolish to draft him when we are so desperate for a reliable playmaker to play opposite #89. Based on his body of work at that point he wasn't the right pick.

[pantherclaw]

Most draft pciks are projects, whether they are changing positions or not.

QB and WR take 3 years on the average to come into their own. That is just one example.

Edwards is a very athletically gifted young man with good football IQ.

He obviously doesn't have the size or desired arm strength coveted in the nfl.

With his speed and ability, receiver is the natural position to have him play.

With a player of his ability, ya also want to get him on the field. Returning punts is another way to do it. Anybody who expected him to take off with his first punt return shouldn't even be commenting in this thread.

The kid will get better, and will make an impact.

I'm sure whenever it happens, it still will never be enough in the eyes of the fans who were upset with aquiring him, and the ones who can't fathom why the kid is struggling.

[CatMan72]

...because they feel AE has much more upside than a guy like Ford and I agree.

[Floppin]

Most draft pciks are projects, whether they are changing positions or not.

QB and WR take 3 years on the average to come into their own. That is just one example.

Edwards is a very athletically gifted young man with good football IQ.

He obviously doesn't have the size or desired arm strength coveted in the nfl.

With his speed and ability, receiver is the natural position to have him play.

With a player of his ability, ya also want to get him on the field. Returning punts is another way to do it. Anybody who expected him to take off with his first punt return shouldn't even be commenting in this thread.

The kid will get better, and will make an impact.

I'm sure whenever it happens, it still will never be enough in the eyes of the fans who were upset with aquiring him, and the ones who can't fathom why the kid is struggling.

It was his size not his arm strength. The kid has a cannon. Also, his athletic talents are just more coveted at wr by most teams. Let the less athletic qb throw to the super athletic wrs out in space where they can make a play.

[Sam Mills Fan]

Can we please stop this blatant lie

I know right? I can't remember a single complaint about the 89 pick. People just love to pull stuff out of their asses.

[Sam Mills Fan]

With a post like this, shouldn't you follow it with the /sarcasm thing?

Who did App State play in the playoffs last year? Montana?

If Armanti had the same skills and did everything he did at App State the same way only he had done it in Montana, do you think there was a chance in hell that we trade a 2nd rounder for him?

Let's get real here.

[Sam Mills Fan]

Can anybody think of a single college QB turned NFL receiver that was worth a 2nd round pick for? I'm talking about in the history of the league.

The closest I can come up with is Randle El, but he sure wasn't worth a 2nd rounder if a guy like Anquan Boldin was worth a 3rd.

[Harpua08]

speakin of Montana and AE, check out his 2 minute drive to end that game on youtube... Blizzard, trip to national championship on the line, hell of a game.. The highest rated game in 1-aa history, tv ratings better than plenty of bowl games last year.

[Jbro]

speakin of Montana and AE, check out his 2 minute drive to end that game on youtube... Blizzard, trip to national championship on the line, hell of a game.. The highest rated game in 1-aa history, tv ratings better than plenty of bowl games last year.

Of course it had higher ratings then some bowl games. The App State game was on ESPN a lot of bowl games are only show regionally.

[Harpua08]

And to answer ur question, no the Panthers probably wouldn't have traded up to get him if he was from or played for Montana. But I have a strange feeling the FO knew a little more than we did on who else wanted the kid... Over half the nfl teams showed up to little ol' Boone to watch his pro-day so he had plenty of interest.