PFW Previews Panther Prospects

[Mr. Scot]

(how's that for alliteration?)

Here are the links to the Pro Football Weekly prospect previews of the players listed among the Panthers possible choices which are currently available online.

Nick Fairley

Summary: An explosive, finesse three-technique, Fairley could make your draft or break your heart. Showed he could be a dominating force for a national championship team, took over games and could be unblockable in the interior of a "40" front if he stays motivated and uses good technique. However, he will require a very nuanced, demanding positional coach and might need to be limited to 40 snaps per game to maximize his talent. The more highly he is drafted, the greater the likelihood that he will bust, as a big pay day easily could sap his motivation. Compares to Saints 2003 sixth-overall pick Johnathan Sullivan (a bust) and could fizzle out of the league as fast as he arrives if he enters a non-challenging, unstructured environment. Has boom-or-bust potential.

NFL projection: Top-10 pick.

Blaine Gabbert

Summary: Was handcuffed by an average supporting cast that did not showcase his immense talents and while he would have benefited from increased snaps at the college level, he clearly possesses long-term starter potential. Will need to learn how to manage, call and check into the run game and develop more sophistication with a pro-style passing tree. Is not a plug-and-play, Day One starter but clearly has phenomenal upside and the football intelligence to learn quickly.

NFL projection: Top-10 pick.

Cam Newton

Summary: An extremely talented, dual-threat QB who carried Auburn to a national title, Newton has the arm and athletic talent desired in a rollout, play-action, bootleg vertical passing game and would fit ideally into an offense such as that of the Redskins or Raiders. However, he always will test the rules, be difficult to manage and lacks the intangibles to win the trust of a locker room. Will require a very strong-willed, demanding coach to live up to his potential and avoid the trappings of fame and fortune, but even the greatest taskmaster will not be able to keep away the drama that is still swirling from a stained Heisman Trophy and littered recruiting trail that Newton left in the SEC. Can provide an initial spark, but will quickly be dissected and contained by NFL defensive coordinators, struggle to sustain success and will not prove worthy of an early investment. An overhyped, high-risk, high-reward selection with a glaring bust factor, Newton is sure to be drafted more highly than he should and could foreclose a risk-taking GM's job and taint a locker room.

NFL projection: Top-15 pick.

Patrick Peterson

Summary: A big, strong, thick-bodied press-and-bail corner who may turn out to be best suited for the safety position in the pros, Peterson can man and zone cover, roam, blitz and play near the line of scrimmage while bringing a playmaking dimension to the return game, and his versatility may be his greatest asset. Would fit best as a press corner for a team such as the Raiders, Ravens or Packers. Has Pro Bowl-caliber potential. A rare physical specimen in a similar class with Charles Woodson. Is deserving of consideration with the top overall pick.

NFL projection: Top-10 pick.

The others (Dareus, Green, Mallett, Bowers) aren't available online yet, but may be later.

Just for good measure, here's a profile of Julio Jones (link)

[pantherj]

Blaine Gabbert

Quote:

Summary: Was handcuffed by an average supporting cast that did not showcase his immense talents and while he would have benefited from increased snaps at the college level, he clearly possesses long-term starter potential. Will need to learn how to manage, call and check into the run game and develop more sophistication with a pro-style passing tree. Is not a plug-and-play, Day One starter but clearly has phenomenal upside and the football intelligence to learn quickly.

NFL projection: Top-10 pick.

This guy is dead wrong. Gabbert did a terrible job at reading the field and finding the open reciever in nearly every game in which he played. He missed open recievers, and recievers in single coverage on go routes a lot. His recievers were getting open, and he was not seeing them. He actually played a lot like Clausen, looking for the short route and then sh!tting his pants with recievers open. I watched him play like garbage in several games during the season.

I can't seem to find many experts who will point out his crappy play, but I did find this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZWc8ZnW0Lw&feature=fvst

But he doesn't rip Gabbert like he should. Gabbert has 100's of terrible plays where he missed open recievers with no pressure and he takes off to scramble and throw a turd. He actually picked a play where Gabbert didn't really look that terrible. If I had all the time in the world, I'd put together all of Gabbert's horrible plays, and circle the open reciever that Gabbert doesn't see. Hodge is being nice and picking a play with pressure. I'd pick the plays where there was little to no pressure, and he misses the open reciever(s).

[Jackofalltrades]

Says you- most guys have him as the best QB in the draft and the highly respected Steve Mariucci loves him. I'll take their opinions over yours.

[panthers55]

What a hachet job on Newton. Auburn's cast was no better than Missouri in tougher competition but somehow Newton excelled and Gabbert didn't.

And where did they get the crap about him not being able to be managed and causing problems. Because he went for a TD at the end of the champioshship game? Or he had issues years ago at Florida. Bu all accounts he has no trouble at Auburn- none.

Where is the concern about Peterson being pretty stupid and taking money to sign. I guess he has no issues worth noting.

What about Gabbert being awful under pressure and he can't connect the deep ball. Lets not point that out.

Totally biased analysis.

[csx]

What a hachet job on Newton. Auburn's cast was no better than Missouri in tougher competition but somehow Newton excelled and Gabbert didn't.

And where did they get the crap about him not being able to be managed and causing problems. Because he went for a TD at the end of the champioshship game? Or he had issues years ago at Florida. Bu all accounts he has no trouble at Auburn- none.

Where is the concern about Peterson being pretty stupid and taking money to sign. I guess he has no issues worth noting.

What about Gabbert being awful under pressure and he can't connect the deep ball. Lets not point that out.

Totally biased analysis.

Yes, your analysis is quite biased :D

[Lumps]

What a hachet job on Newton. Auburn's cast was no better than Missouri in tougher competition but somehow Newton excelled and Gabbert didn't.

And where did they get the crap about him not being able to be managed and causing problems. Because he went for a TD at the end of the champioshship game? Or he had issues years ago at Florida. Bu all accounts he has no trouble at Auburn- none.

Where is the concern about Peterson being pretty stupid and taking money to sign. I guess he has no issues worth noting.

What about Gabbert being awful under pressure and he can't connect the deep ball. Lets not point that out.

Totally biased analysis.

That's the point isn't it? To reveal who they favor? They are telling us who they like, PFW's opinion, so what?

Oh I see we are going to arguing every time one of these sites sides with someone and somehow relate it to Newton and most likley race, carry on.

[chknwing]

An overhyped, high-risk, high-reward selection with a glaring bust factor, Newton is sure to be drafted more highly than he should and could foreclose a risk-taking GM's job and taint a locker room.

That sounds like Hurney to me

[Udogg]

Yeah there is biased and there is a hatchet job.

will always test the rules. Always? What would make someone say that?

need to avoid trapping of fame. Wouldn't that be everyone drafted high? Or just Cam Newton?

stained heisman trophy valid

littered recruiting path valid

can provide intial spark but will be quickly dissected by NFL defenses ? Does he have a magic 8 ball? Did Cam renege on a loan like Reggie Bush to these guys?

overhyped? Definitely not by PFW :) Think this best applies to Gabbert review

tainting locker room? I was thinking Mr. Scot edited this around this time :D

foreclose on gm's future? Yep because everyone in the orginzation isn't going to like a player. A GM is going to go against the coach, owners, scouts, etc and just pick Newton because he is overhyped.

[countryboi]

he glosses over all of gabbert's flaws while making newton look like jamarus russell. i wouldnt expect anything less. if your going to be heavy handed at least give gabbert the smack down too.

[Mr. Scot]

Nobody complaining about Fairley's review?

[Udogg]

Nobody complaining about Fairley's review?

He only really had 1 issue. Motivation. The whole thing was about that.

[firstdayfan]

I really think we should draft a QB if we stay at number one (if we trade down then I'm ok with anything) but I'm really starting to doubt who exactly we should select. One thing that stands out to me in the anaylsis is what was said about NFL coaches being able to figure out Newtons game and being able to stop him. Isn't this ultimately what happened to vince young (granted they aren't similar as QB's outside of athletiscm) and then I think of Daunte Culpepper who to me reminds me of Newton...big arm, could move around and make plays...but ultimately got hurt a lot. So does Mike Vick...which is why I don't think the eagles let Kolb go.

Then I think of Gabbert...I think of Aaron Rodgers who combines a nice accurate arm with great ability to scramble around a make a play if necessary. Gabbert also has Rodgers intangibles, leadership, moxie, and a gravitating personality (bar fights aside). I also know that Gabbert and Rodgers aren't even close in talent right now...if they were he would be the consensus number 1 pick.

So the question becomes do you want the guy who could make the big runs and the big throws but may have a limited on field ability in the passing game....and may get seriously injured after years of taking off a running...which he WILL do. Or do you take the guy who is extremely accurate has a good arm, can still scramble around but may have a more expanded passing attack and more longevity? Seems like an easy question but it isn't because right now Newtons ability and potential dwarf Gabbert's...but consider 5-7 years down the road (if they aren't busts) who would you rather have then?

[firstdayfan]

Nobody complaining about Fairley's review?

I think the ship has sailed on Fairley as a number one pick...so nobody cares.

If it's a DT then I think Dareus has the edge...or that is what people assume.

[panthers55]

That's the point isn't it? To reveal who they favor? They are telling us who they like, PFW's opinion, so what?

Oh I see we are going to arguing every time one of these sites sides with someone and somehow relate it to Newton and most likley race, carry on.

Of course not. But PFW is considered a great source for draft information and is supposed unbiased. THis type of hatchet job on newton when no one else is coming even close to the negative comments suggest a strong anti-Newton bias here. Particularly when much of what they said is well beyond what is being reported elsewhere.

Honestly I don't care what they say really, since they have no sway over what the FO does, But as Hurney said, he hasn't heard any of this and he thinks he has as good or better connections than PFW does. Plus he has been working at this longer and with much greater intensity given he doesn't have to preview everyone, just the guys they want to take. Plus he has actually met the guy and talked with him at length.