Steves89

I agree. 2 starters and 3-4 seeing out the end of their deals would be an excellent class. And I think is totally attainable for this group. We could have even more starters. We'll see!

I agree. it IS too early to judge. And that's the point. We have only a tiny sample size of their work and that small sample is excellent. So now we get to be at this point where all we have is hope for what they can do and how good they will be. Some will flame out. More often than not, that's what happens. But right now, we have no reason to think that. They've been great. So feel free wait as long as you want to judge how good a player was half a decade ago if that's fun for you. What's fun for me is thinking about how much potential this team has and sharing that with people who love this team too.

That's right! I have extremely high expectations for the first defensive player taken in the draft. And thus far, he has merely met them with a few bumps along the way. But it is so early in his career so there is lots of time to learn. I look forward to a long promising career from that talented young man!

I have been reading this board since it started in 2003. The best place to find panthers news and insight. I don't often post as I don't often feel that I have insightful things to say (that's called self-regard by the way, maybe one or two of you should try it) After 17 years of reading this board, following the Panthers, and reading the, let's face, frankly moronic garbage most of you post, this cicada is ready to emerge from its cocoon to awkwardly step over the shockingly low bar that is the standards of discourse around here and share a modicum of perspective to the larvae inching across the Huddle excreting their under-informed, over-indulged, doomsday-predicting detritus. My perspective is this: It is the pre-season - the most hopeful time of the year. The time of year when football is back, and yet, has not even begun. We have the whole, beautiful season of jubilant expectation not yet tainted by the cankered blossom of reality. More to the point, this is the most exciting draft class I can remember. Nearly every single draft pick has flashed promise. I mean, look at them. Jaycee Horn - Frankly the pick I am most disappointed by, and I am really not that disappointed. He is in all likelihood an above-average starter from day one and has a chance to be a perennial pro-bowler. Swipe right on this dude. Terrace Marshall - Exceeded expectations and expectations were pretty high. He is our 3rd wr which practically makes him a starter day 1. Two draft picks. Two quality starters. Tough to top that. Brady Christiansen - Played well through two preseason games. Lots are clamoring for him to start day 1. That would be three day 1 starters from our first three picks. Pretty amazing. More likely, he will settle into a starting roll later in the season. Right now, his floor looks like a high quality depth. I'll take it. Tommy Tremble - Upgrades our blocking at the position immediately and has really flashed some ability as a receiver. Will get lots fo playing time. Also, has a name that sounds like an abandoned character that was planned to be the friend of Biff from Back to the Future. And he has only the second best name in this crop which brings us too... Chuba Hubbard - Played very well through two preseason games. Will get tons of playing time spelling CMC and keeping him fresh. That's five picks and five hits so far. Daviyon Nixon - played well, flashed athleticism and provides quality depth in the middle of the line. Not bad for a rookie DT Keith Taylor - played well in camp and showed some promise before his injury. even if he doesn't pan out, we are talking about a rookie 5th rounder. Deonte Brown - Apparently a mountain got lost on its way to Appalachia and wandered onto our practice field. Turns out he can play. People are actually talking about him as a potential starter. Personally, I doubt it, but having quality depth from the 193rd pick in the draft when he is a rookie is outstanding. Shi Smith - Let's face it: Smith would be a starter on like, 75% of panthers teams in the past. Maybe you don't remember the days of Keary Colbert or Dwayne Jarrett. But I do. And those were 2nd rounders. The value we got at this pick is amazing! Thomas Fletcher- I have nothing to say about this man. But he is a Panther and will forever be my brother. Great pick. 10/10. Phil Hoskins - Seems to be outplaying Daviyon Nixon, who many projected going much earlier than we got him. Hoskins has been excellent in the action he has seen and will provide excellent depth. With God as my witness, I will appreciated his manifestly above-average draft class! We could not ask for a more promising draft class at this point. Spout whatever negative bullspit you want, but I am here to tell you that this is a great class. Enjoy it. It doesn't happen very often. I remember Eric Shelton for God's sake. And if you don't know who Eric Shelton is, ask your grandfather how he developed that twitch. So here is my advise: Enjoy the ever-present now. Build your castles in the sky. And don't you ever dis a wide receiver named Smith again.

Preseason games are weird and it is a cliche to point out that good teams often go 0-4 in the preseason. So what are you looking for? Who will you be watching? Unforced Errors: Yes, the DBO sign is dumb. Very dumb. Like high school coach from a 1998 Disney movie dumb. But there is truth to it. More than the performance of any player, I want to see how well-coached the players are, particularly those at the bottom of the depth chart. Can they avoid simple mistakes. Rhule is supposed to be able to coach players up so let's see it. I want to see if the culture he is building plays out on the field. Jermain Carter - always been high on this young man. I don't know that he will ever be more than a solid backup, but I hope he succeeds and it looks like this year will be his shot. Christian Miller - I remember some hype around him when he was drafted and that he was good value for where we picked. But then he sat out 2020 so this is basically his rookie year and LB is a question mark for us. Hope he shows up. Daviyon Nixon - Lot of hype when drafted. Haven't heard much from camp Special Teams Play - Obviously curious to see who emerges as our returners but more interested in what the coverage units look like. Safety Play - I like Burris but we need better and in a passing league back up safeties will get playing time. Wondering if Franklin or someone else will provide good depth The Entire Offensive Line Forever Because Nothing Else Matters - Rhule Says starters won't be playing. Don't know what that means in this context given that as far as I can tell we only have one starter on our OL. Not sure who will be playing and who won't but there could be a chance that someone who gets playing time today will start later in the season. Hoping Christianson and Deonte Brown do well. What will you be looking for? What does success look like for a preseason game?

All this does is remind me of how God-like Kuechly was. That dude broke PFF. Then again, most things remind me of how God-like he was.

Thanks. I'm glad he's trying out. If he is consistent with what he's done in the past, he should be an upgrade.

I don't understand what's wrong with HaHa. I thought he was pretty good his whole career and he has started every game though he didn't play in 2020. And he's only 28. Did he suffer an injury? or have off-field issues? I feel like I'm missing a piece of the story.

Surprised no one has saidThanksgiving game against Dallas in 2015. Not my favorite, but dang good!

Fricking love this thread. I was considering making one very similar just to remind folks that Al Wallace existed, and our lives were better for it. Also Nick Goings - Back up full back/4th or 5th string running back who ended up being a starter due to a million injuries and ran for 100 yards in a game.

"And also with you."

Here! Here! I look forward to the Draft and the Huddle's draft pick threads every year. Glad he stepped up to make it happen. Thanks all for the conversation. It's a fun read even when it drives me crazy.

Well, if there is one thing Stephen A. Smith knows about, it is offensive lines. Pretty much how he and Skip stayed on the air.

No. I want to like the players on the team I root for. I can't root for a team that knowingly hired someone who had been credibly accused of sexual assault by multiple people.

Always sad to see someone go particularly when they have been here for a while. I think we underate how valuable a reliable 2nd or 3rd string player is. Wish him luck in his new job and am excited by the opportunity that some new tight ends may have here! Sounds like a good situation for all involved!

honey badger mauled Gronk. Guess it wasn't catchable.

Can't blame the refs for this $hit$how anymore. This is rough.

I can't believe I can't watch the game. Get it tugboat.

coleman was mvp in this game before he made that pick. Then he made the pick.

Good Grief Cam Newton.

When did Nortman stop being good?

Give the rock to Tolbert.

Stew is a beast.

hate the play call. That was a helmet on helmet hit.

Rain is the 13th man on the field.