Taking the 15th ranked player with the #1 overall pick doesn't make much sense...

[Darth Urious]

Let me preface this with the clearly stated opinion that I don't want to draft a QB at all... Andrew Luck probably wouldn't change that either, so I have no bias against any player... if anything it is a bias against drafting a QB...

That said... How can you justify taking Newton ahead of someone like Dareus, who is often ranked at least 8 or so players ahead of him in most scouts eyes?

I get that some people believe QB is a dire need... I get that some people want to roll the dice on Cam if for no other reason to bring some excitement to the field and hope that the risk translates into rewards...

But, in all seriousness, how do you justify such a roll of the dice when there are players figured to be better at their positions (some of which we could use more than a little help with) across the collective boards?

Most scouts have Dareus, Peterson, Green, and Miller all rated at the top of the draft, yet some people are so set on the Panthers and Newton being a match that I just don't get it completely...

[C47]

This thread isn't going to a good place....

[theyhateme45]

My question for you is when would you like us to get a QB then??? This is not a Cam or this draft question.... Just a general how would you approach rebuilding our team for sustained long term success?

[SOJA]

good god Thursday hurry the fug up

[theyhateme45]

And another question... Do you believe QB is the most important position on a team?? If so that could answer your question on why QB's get drafted before players ranked higher than them.... Because they have a bigger impact on long term team success IMO.

[frash.exe]

Is it a consensus he's ranked 15th?

For all you know hurney could personally have him ranked top 5

[teeray]

If you spend hours, and hours, and hours, of meetings, tape, workouts, etc. on a QB, and you think he can be your guy after all that research and you determine that QB is your biggest need. And he happens to be ranked #15;

Well not only can you takes that guy at #1, you must take that guy #1. especially at the QB position.

If you study him and decide he can't be your guy then you pass.

[Bj-Monster23]

Because we struggled at the quarterback position for a couple of years Well most of the years in Carolina. And you dont win games in this league unless you have a solid quarterback. A quarterback makes your team 65% better. It takes alot of pressure off the whole team especially the defense. Sometimes people do make mistakes evaluating players, we know that Cam and blaine are pretty good quarterbacks but we just dont know who will bust or who will be good its just a chance you gotta take. But I know some people on this board who feel that the guy is not smart enough he is not accuarte enough and he has to many character problems. Sometimes people act like they havent made mistakes in there life. I dont think there is anybody on this board that is perfect or is it. If the guy is willing to come in and work on his game and be a film rat and a gym rat he is worth the money and the pick. The key thing is, is he willing to be a man and listen to the coaches. Thats all you can ask for.

[Sword]

even mel kiper has said if he didn't have the past issues, he'd be the best player on the board..so if the panthers have gotten passed all the past issues(and there have reports that said they have)..their big board will look a lot different then you think.

Josh Freeman was at the top of the bucs board and they would have drafted him with the 1st pick if they had it that year.

Sam Bradford was also ranked around 11-15 last year and Suh was the consensus best player you could get...so really where a player is ranked isn't gonna change my mind.

[Happy Panther]

Let me preface this with the clearly stated opinion that I don't want to draft a QB at all... Andrew Luck probably wouldn't change that either, so I have no bias against any player... if anything it is a bias against drafting a QB...

That said... How can you justify taking Newton ahead of someone like Dareus, who is often ranked at least 8 or so players ahead of him in most scouts eyes?

I get that some people believe QB is a dire need... I get that some people want to roll the dice on Cam if for no other reason to bring some excitement to the field and hope that the risk translates into rewards...

But, in all seriousness, how do you justify such a roll of the dice when there are players figured to be better at their positions (some of which we could use more than a little help with) across the collective boards?

Most scouts have Dareus, Peterson, Green, and Miller all rated at the top of the draft, yet some people are so set on the Panthers and Newton being a match that I just don't get it completely...

So Start clausen again all year?

[Darth Urious]

And another question... Do you believe QB is the most important position on a team?? If so that could answer your question on why QB's get drafted before players ranked higher than them.... Because they have a bigger impact on long term team success IMO.

First question you asked first:

I don't think the current QB situation is as dire as most Chicken Little's here think... especially if we bring MM back... I'd love to pick up a post-CBA FA, sure... but he doesn't have to be a day one starter... just like Cam or any other rookie wouldn't be...

Now to the above post...

No, QB is not the most important position... as evidenced by the Panthers squad that made the Super Bowl... Football is a team sport, and Stephen Davis, Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, and a stingy defense had way more to do with that run than Jake Delhomme did... The stuff that Jake did have going for him that year was that he was an unknown, and there wasn't much to look at on tape of him that anyone cared about...

QBs do get taken earlier sometimes, but do I really need to rattle off the failed calls, specifically at that position, over the years? Teams that fail at drafting the correct player and taking a QB that doesn't pan out end up hurting their franchise more than helping it... IMO

Again, I have no real malice for Cam, Gabbert, or any QB in this draft, other than the fact that they are QBs...

If we go that route, cool beans... I'll especially be glad if it works out and whoever it is succeeds on the field...

But if we do, and he doesn't... don't be mad when I say I told you we could have had someone better...

[Bj-Monster23]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/20338/gearing-up-for-draft-week-in-nfc-south

Something from the ESPN people on this week.

[Darth Urious]

Is it a consensus he's ranked 15th?

For all you know hurney could personally have him ranked top 5

Possibly... but he could also have him ranked 25...

That argument is invalid, and based on personal speculation...

I'm talking about scouting services and other people that get paid to watch film/rank players...

Also let me note that just because he isn't ranked #1 doesn't mean he isn't their top QB... They just have other players at different positions ranked higher...

QB isn't my top Panthers need, so it doesn't make much sense to pass on a DT that is...

[KillerKat]

Possibly... but he could also have him ranked 25...

That argument is invalid, and based on personal speculation...

I'm talking about scouting services and other people that get paid to watch film/rank players...

Also let me note that just because he isn't ranked #1 doesn't mean he isn't their top QB... They just have other players at different positions ranked higher...

QB isn't my top Panthers need, so it doesn't make much sense to pass on a DT that is...

Only what the coaches think matters. What anyone else thinks means sh**.