Round 1: The Carolina Panthers select OT Monroe Freeling (Georgia)

[Davidson Deac II]

On 4/24/2026 at 1:46 AM, NAS said:

First round picks need to be Day 1 starters unless you’re loaded and Super Bowl ready.  I am not saying he won’t develop into a great LT but we need immediate impact players.

 

Personally I think that to many teams force a guy to be a day one starter from the get go.  You draft in the first round because you think the player has the potential to be a star.  Playing and starting should be based on how they adjust to the NFL and draft position shouldn't matter.

Edited April 29 by Davidson Deac II

[strato]

1 hour ago, Davidson Deac II said:

 

Personally I think that to many teams force a guy to be a day one starter from the get go.  You draft in the first round because you think the player has the potential to be a star.  Playing and starting should be based on how they adjust to the NFL and draft position shouldn't matter.

If you think about.. if you really draft BPA you going to have situations where they come in behind someone.  They don’t All need to start day one.
 

You are probably better off letting it happen at their pace, after all the saying a loss for each rookie you start. The biggest thing is take a good player. Easier said than done, I get it, and an oversimplification… probably. But it is the name of the game. 

[MHS831]

On 4/29/2026 at 7:53 PM, Davidson Deac II said:

 

Personally I think that to many teams force a guy to be a day one starter from the get go.  You draft in the first round because you think the player has the potential to be a star.  Playing and starting should be based on how they adjust to the NFL and draft position shouldn't matter.

When I arrived at college, I was 18, not too much younger than some of these draft picks.  It was not a huge school, but there were guys on the team who were 21, 22, 23....playing ahead of me.  I was seventh on the depth chart.  Those guys have been through a few seasons, were stronger, more knowledgeable.  I was a better raw player than some of them, but those other factors matter.  As I grew stronger, more familiar with the playbook, and learned what it was like to play in college, I gradually improved and with that, I rose up the depth chart.  It took most of my freshman year for the light to come on.  Had the coach thrown me into the starting lineup day 1, I would have probably failed.   

And that was college.  So I agree with you based on my experience on a much lower level.  Frankly, I think that is why so many kids drafted to fill huge gaps bust.  The teams are desperate.  Anyone who looks to fill vacancies in the starting lineup through the draft is desperate.  You draft depth to develop.  For this reason, I say, "Let Walker start for a while."  Maybe Brazzell can be our WR 4.  Throw Hunter into a rotation and ask him to do one or two things.  Freeling needs some strength and he needs to work on run blocking.

[Mistuh Jones]

The instincts are there. He just needs to be sharpened. Nothing does that better than iron vs iron