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

[DCR]

30 minutes ago, electro's horse said:

They’re totally different players and played in completely different offenses. Remember Meyer wasn’t at Utah when gross was there. They only won five games his last year. Gross just blew everyone away with his technique once the coaches got their hands on him and was a draft riser. I remember everyone saying the panthers needed a tackle but he was something of a surprise pick back then.

this just seems like he’s big and huge and played at UGA which again is FINE but it doesn’t help you win now.

also true story gross was in Charlotte the day of the draft. By chance my family went out to PF Chang’s at Phillips place that night and he was there with his family. I remember thinking we just drafted him and he looked really dorky. 

As i remember it most mock's had us taking Gross.

[MHS831]

1 minute ago, Khyber53 said:

It does seem to come up regularly.

Youd think our scouts have ankle bracelets and have to be home by dark as a condition of their parole. 

[Swaggasaurus]

14 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Swag, I didn't love anyone in the first round.  I figured both Proctor and Freeling would be gone.  And I was not really interested in sharing my thoughts as a result--I was trying to read the tea leaves to figure out what Morgan would do and justify my reasons for thinking that.  I see the players at the top (except Proctor and Freeling) as potential guards.  It seems many of these players who are drafted as short-armed OTs end up being kicked inside.  I could not settle on a player I wanted, to be honest. However, in my opinion, Proctor and Freeling were the two who were born to play OT.  They can fix their problems.  

Now, if you want to talk round 2, I think there are players I hope we target--ILB is the position I would love to address--but if Hurst (WR) or a Safety is the pick, I would understand.  Gotta be LB. 

Bold prediction:  I think Morgan trades up for Rodriguez.  However there are 4 LBs I would take--popcorn time

I’m on the LB train. Got Rodz, Allen, KEO, and Trotter on my wishlist. I can understand Hill, but prefer the others.

[The Huddler]

2 hours ago, thennek said:

I was thinking back about 12-years ago when the Panthers started Byron Bell at LT and Nate Chandler at RT.  Those were the days.  Cam was running for his life.  

its a tragedy. the negligence that occurred which led to his shoulder getting speared by watt while standing in the pocket...  all i can do is shake my head. Cams arm was turned into a noodle that play   

[The Huddler]

2 hours ago, mrcompletely11 said:

Because those gms need guys that can play right away.  Morgan has the luxury of slow playing this if needed

also theres a lot of "smartest person in the room" syndrome

[The Huddler]

1 hour ago, electro's horse said:

Granted this is a Very Hot Take but this is the reaction from Reddit’s UGA board

We’re used to having 3-4 first round picks, sometimes more, especially on defense. If Freeling truly was our best player on the roster, which clearly the NFL feels is the case. I think it makes sense we only got as far as we did. And I think maybe even shows how good of a coaching job Kirby Smart and his staff did last year. He turned a team where the best player on the field was a turnstile and turned them into conference champions and had an 11 win regular season. That’s very difficult to do this day and age.

turnstile??

 

thats just retarded fan perception. Show me the stats that say he was a turn style. Just because a georgia fan says something doesn't mean it should be taken over anyone else's opinion.  if anything a georgia fans opinion should be taken with more hesitation because emotion is involved. 

[csx]

49 minutes ago, electro's horse said:

They’re totally different players and played in completely different offenses. Remember Meyer wasn’t at Utah when gross was there. They only won five games his last year. Gross just blew everyone away with his technique once the coaches got their hands on him and was a draft riser. I remember everyone saying the panthers needed a tackle but he was something of a surprise pick back then.

this just seems like he’s big and huge and played at UGA which again is FINE but it doesn’t help you win now.

also true story gross was in Charlotte the day of the draft. By chance my family went out to PF Chang’s at Phillips place that night and he was there with his family. I remember thinking we just drafted him and he looked really dorky. 

There was absolutely nothing surprising about the Panthers taking Gross.  It was pretty obvious it could happen if available. Other than Peppers or Newton there probably was not a more obvious target in team history.

Edited April 24 by csx

[The Huddler]

Georgia has elite recruit after elite recruit.  Theres so much talent on that roster Joe Person could lead them to 11 wins.  When every player is a 4/5 starvyou better win 11 games.  The lack of Georgia Players in the 1st looks like a knock on player development on the coaching staff. there is plenty of talent to mold.  Thats a Hot fart take if you ask me

 

not saying georgia isnt awesome and that they dont deserve their flowers.  Kirby built that powerhouse and is an elite coach considering all that a HC has to do beyond the Xs and Os. 

[electro's horse]

Just now, csx said:

There was absolutely nothing surprising about the Panthers taking Gross.  It was pretty obvious it could happen if available 

I mean I might be wrong. It was over two decades ago.

Just glancing at the draft I only seem to remember Marcus trufant being spoken about which makes sense because the year before they were gonna take Jammer if Peppers had gone to Detroit. 

[electro's horse]

2 minutes ago, The Huddler said:

The lack of Georgia Players in the 1st looks like a knock on player development on the coaching staff. there is plenty of talent to mold.  Thats a Hot fart take if you ask me

Nah it’s just the regular cycle of losing players as they develop/leave early/get hurt etc. you’re gonna have down years UGA will be fine until Kirby finally has that coronary aneurysm he’s been working on  

And they do this with some of the consistently worst qb play of any of the major conference schools.

Carson Beck lmao

Edited April 24 by electro's horse

[MHS831]

46 minutes ago, Jon Snow said:

I have a question for the class. How many days 1 starters do you think were in this draft class? Because the conscience out there seems to be less than 10. 

right.  You have a need that is multifaceted (Ickey, Walker 1 year deal, Moton's wheel) and finding good OTs is very difficult.  Since the guy who has the highest upside is 21 and raw, you pass him by and try to find a S or TE because they would start--even though the really did not deserve first round grades.  

I get the move to take a T.  I did not think they would, but Morgan demonstrated long-term vision.  Hats off

[flagfootballcoach28]

15 minutes ago, The Huddler said:

Georgia has elite recruit after elite recruit.  Theres so much talent on that roster Joe Person could lead them to 11 wins.  When every player is a 4/5 starvyou better win 11 games.  The lack of Georgia Players in the 1st looks like a knock on player development on the coaching staff. there is plenty of talent to mold.  Thats a Hot fart take if you ask me

 

not saying georgia isnt awesome and that they dont deserve their flowers.  Kirby built that powerhouse and is an elite coach considering all that a HC has to do beyond the Xs and Os. 

No, it’s NIL. Talent is more spread out. UGA still has an elite staff 

[TheSpecialJuan]

Monroe Freeling to the #Panthers

Awesome to see GMs that have foresight. Ekwonu suffered a major knee injury, Taylor Moton will have the third highest cap number among RTs in 2027, and Rasheed Walker on a one-year deal. Good OTs are hard to find. Freeling has a ton of potential.
 

https://x.com/jordan_reid/status/2047669880778875272?s=46&t=xeIgh_-Vr2aKxBkBJdfnKA

[electro's horse]

Another way to look at this pick is does it help the panthers score more points or help the defense to keep the other team from scoring points?

That was my main concern with another WR or Sediq; there just aren’t that many more points to pick up in this offense with Bryce at qb  

at best (worst?), Freeling keeps the scoring capacity similar, and that only happens if your FA pick doesn’t pan out or Father Time catches up to Moton, but he’s not THAT old and has been healthy for most of his career so I don’t anticipate him just collapsing.

I don’t know just draft CJ Allen tonight and I’ll quit complaining.