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The Buffalo Bills traded up in both the 2nd and 3rd rounds, just the ahead of the Panthers. In both of these rounds, the selected players that the Panthers had met and of positions that Carolina addressed in that same round.
Read MoreCarolina is interested in a safety and in Melifonwu too. The Panthers have met with him four times. Dave Gettleman affirmed the Panthers were seriously interested in Jamaal Adams if he would have been there #8.
Read MoreToday is Draft Day! Who do you want? Who do you think the Panthers get? It is the ultimate reality show for NFL fans as the drama unfolds tonight at 8:00 EST. There’s no better way, as a Panthers fan, to watch the drama unfold than to hang out with the #C3 gang and fellow Panther fans. Tune in starting at 7:45 by clicking here to get to our Youtube Channel.
Read MoreThis year may just be the year Carolina seeks a long-term solution that will round out a an up and coming secondary and allow Kurt Coleman to move to free safety, his more natural position.
Read MoreI have to admit that I’m pretty late getting on the Corey Davis hype train, but I have been watching some of his tape lately and thinking about what taking a WR this high means not only for the rest of this draft but for the Panthers going forward. Corey Davis, for those who don't know, is a 6'3" 212 lbs. WR from Western Michigan who accrued 97 rec for 1500 yds. and 19 TDs in his senior season and totaled 332 rec for 5285 yds. and 52 TDs over his collegiate
Read MoreBefore I get to the main points of what I have to say, I just want to mention that the draft is supposed to be a fun time for fans to speculate on how their team will improve and get better so if you don't agree with any of this just remember that we all want to accomplish the same goal of getting the Panthers back to the Super Bowl.
Read MoreWith both San Diego and Carolina’s Week 17 games culminating in defeat, the Panthers find themselves with their first top ten pick since the franchise drafted Luke Kuechly in 2012. Carolina will find themselves with the eighth selection in the draft, the pick is even more tantalizing considering this draft is loaded with front end talent and future stars. With this considered, will the Panthers be able to find and an instant contributor at the back of the top ten? Let the recent history of these picks tell the story.
Read MoreThe departure of Josh Norman leaves an already thin cornerback corp in a scary position. If the NFL season were to open today the starters on the outside would consist of Robert McClain and Bené Benwikere; Brandon Boykin would lock down the slot. Benwikere played well on the outside during his rookie season, but a full season away from the position and a late season broken leg puts him in a precarious situation.
Read MoreThis is the NFL Draft Week! Cat Chronicles is obsessed with the draft and how it shapes the future of teams. How guys like Aaron Rodgers being passed over by San Francisco in favor of Alex Smith and dropping changed the fate of Green Bay and San Francisco. And specific to Carolina, how the much maligned Marty Hurney’s decision to draft a spread offense QB with questionable pocket awareness over the more “Pro-Ready” Blaine Gabbert has changed our franchise's’ history. So this week is
Read MoreThe roster-building process may be a twelve month process; but no week is more important than draft week to establishing a team's’ identity. A team’s superstars are generally not found through free agency. Yes, there are exceptions to that rule, but relatively few. Imagine if the Panthers picked Blaine Gabbert instead of Cam Newton. And imagine if the Panthers took Quinton Coples over Luke Kuechly. Wow, how different would this team be!
So sitting a pick 30, who can the Panthers select that has an impact on their identity? There will be lots of options when the Panthers are on the clock, and Panther Nation is split on which direction to go. Here are three ways we could go along with the reasoning behind them:
The Panthers absolutely will draft a defensive end at some point in this draft. With Charles Johnson at the tail end of his career and Jared Allen having ridden off into the sunset, the Panthers have to grab some talent and they have to make an impact. Generally, DEs take a year or two before they can make an impact so this would have to be the right guy falling for me to see this being the pick. The right guy for me is Kevin Dodd. If he is there, he has to be the selection, unless one other guy is there. Keep reading.
Quick, if the Panthers were to play this Sunday, who do the Panthers’ two starting CBs? That’s right, hmmmmm. Losing Josh Norman is quite a blow and look for the Panthers to take at least two corners this weekend. And if Mackensie Alexander, Eli Apple, or William Jackson are there at 30, don’t be surprised if that is how the Panthers go. But more likely, the Panthers turn their attention to the likes of Kendall Fuller in the second round and may even trade up to do so. Here’s a name to watch for the second CB that the Panthers select: Harlan Miller out of Southeastern Louisiana. He is on the Panthers’ radar and he reminds me of a combination of Bene Benwikere and Josh Norman. Quick feet and a smart player, but will take time to develop.
Alas, this is where I think the Panthers will go in round one. Is this the biggest team need? No way. But the first round of the draft is about finding the guy that you can put on your teams’ cereal box cover. He has to set the tone for who you want to be. And with Jonathan Stewart entering his last year with the Panthers and most likely not playing 16 games, the Panthers have to find his replacement. Yes, they could get someone later on or maybe even next year. But when your running game sucks, and you are a running team, then you suck. See the Dallas Cowboys about that. David Gettleman likes big and powerful men with traits that you can’t coach. Kelvin Benjamin is the perfect example of what the team looks for. There is no player that would be more exemplary of what the Panthers want to be than Derrick Henry. If he is there, he will be the guy and will join Cam Newton, Kelvin Benjamin and Luke Kuechly as the faces of the Carolina Panthers.
This week is my favorite week of the off season and it is the most important. Join the C3 crew this Tuesday night for our weekly Panthers show at 10:00. But also, tune in on Draft Night, when we will have special guests all night long, and will just be having a blast talking about every pick. And if you can’t get enough Panthers Draft info, here is an 82-page Draft Guide that focuses on our team, from our perspective and how each player would make sense in our scheme (or would not make sense). Check it out, and check us out this week. Leave us your comments and be a part of the voice of Panther Nation!
Posted By: @PanthersDrafter
AKA Mel Mayock
For the second year in a row, the Panthers’ needs line up well with the strengths of the draft class. This year, Defensive Ends, Offensive Linemen and Defensive Backs rule the roost. And if the Panthers are looking to compliment Greg Olsen and put our offense on steroids, there are some big Tight Ends to consider. Or maybe a Running Back to share the load with Stewart? These are all possibilities and at Pick 30, it depends on who is there. Here are my rankings of realistic players and who I would take in order:
Read MoreGeneral Manager David Gettleman is a rare breed in today’s NFL. He speaks his mind, and is surprisingly honest. If you didn’t read the Professor’s article earlier this week about how to read what he says, check it out here. Here are a few things that he said today in Indianapolis.
Read MoreThe C3 scouts have been doing their work. Here's a quick look at some of their most coveted prospects.
Read MoreBefore we get into what's behind door number 10, I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who has been reading my advent calendar pieces. I've been having a blast writing them and the nostalgia involved has been incredible. Today though I'm probably going to cause some debate as I go through a Top 10 List
Read MoreA few C3 writers were feeling froggy one night and challenged each other to a picks contest. The C3 crew is always up for a challenge so below are our picks. By the end of the weekend we'll see who gets the most correct. Definitely a fun but challenging exercise. I hope you enjoy: and don't forget to join us tonight at 7:30 EST as Panther Nation hangs out and watches the draft together. We'll have special guests from other other teams coming in and commenting on their team's draft. We are also going to have some fun Panther give aways like T shirts for guessing the Panthers pick and some other picks. Join us for all or some of tonight's fun at: https://youtu.be/qDAI6EtJvis
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