BlitzMonster

I think Carolina fans see a draft class very strong at LT, a position the team has flailed on for a long time. And choosing one at #6 would give the Panthers an instant starter who's probably going to be very good for many years. The QB class overall is much less of a sure thing according to almost every scout. That includes Pickett. And even those that do like him question his ultimate upside. I think the belief is he's a good prospect but doesn't have elite physical skills. So how far can he take a team ? As a consequence I think the Huddle's consensus is more about going for the sure thing (LT) instead of a choice with higher risk (Pickett). Also there's the opportunity cost - if you choose Pickett you have to pass on the guaranteed starter at LT. So the OL stays funky, which will negatively affect Pickett's play and decrease his ultimate value.

I've come to like Pickett more as the evaluation process goes on. His good showing in the Combine interviews (where he's quizzed about his offense) counts for a lot. And he performed well in the high pressure situation of the passing drills. But I do understand reservations about him. Why didn't he do much in his first 4 years at Pitt ? And Pickett was fantastic in his 5th year but he also had the benefit of some really skilled WR at Pitt (Including the 2021 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison). So was it Picket being great or his WR ? There are some obvious questions.

Oh and another NFL WORST signing was Sam Darnold (when his extension is included). So it's a twofer for the Panthers. Yay !

I thought Elflein was playing somewhat better as a C at the end of the season. Maybe a little below league average but OK. However PFF puts him as one of the worst C in the league. Ouch !

PFF - best and worst 2021 NFL free agent signings WORST OC/OG Pat Elflein, signed with the Panthers for three years, $11.5 million Another of the curious moves the Panthers made last offseason was prioritizing Elflein and Cam Erving during the first days of free agency, bringing in two players who had an extensive history of sub-par play along the offensive line. Neither player exceeded expectations in Year 1, as Elflein played just 534 snaps and earned a 42.0 PFF pass-blocking grade and a 50.1 overall mark. Elflein accrued multiple games with a PFF grade under 30, and he earned below-average marks as a run-blocker in every game except one.

Obviously you need a QB who can make all the normal throws. That's a given. But at the end of their careers Drew Brees and Tom Brady weren't zipping frozen ropes all over the field. They used their many years of experience to read defenses pre snap and instantly pick them apart. Even with average arms these guys could succeed against almost any formation. So the big arm is a nice to have. And I can see how attractive it would be for prospects. But fundamentally the QB position is about understanding defenses and how to attack them. So it's much more intellectual than physical.

I don't think Pittsburgh is in the mix. They gave out a statement (attributed to the Rooneys) saying they weren't interested. A dark horse team that would make sense would be Indy. Get the support of all-world RB Jonathan Taylor and play in a weak division vs the Jags and Texans x2 per year.

Willis over Deshawn Watson all day long. At worst you only lose 1 first round draft pick. And maybe Willis eventually plays well ?? But the smart & safe move for this team is to take an LT at #6. This is a strong class and the LT position has been one of need on the Panthers for years.

The QB who star at pro days are big bodied guys with cannon arms who can fling the ball all over the field. Unfortunately those aren't actually the top qualities needed for a successful NFL QB. The most important things are reading defenses & decision making. That is only seen on film or with a whiteboard X's and O's talk. So the whole college QB evaluation process seems kind of biased toward the wrong stuff.

Pickett's interviews at the Combine were good, which means a lot in the evaluation process. That's not too much of a surprise since he's the oldest and most experienced prospect there. He's got decent physical skills. Confidence. Seems to have the maturity to be a leader in the clubhouse. But his upside appears to be more limited than others. Maybe worth a late first round pick. Almost surely not worth #6.

I've read numerous quotes from NFL scouts & execs that all said interviews are maybe the most important part of the Combine (along with the medical). Finding out that Corral and Strong both did poorly is a surprise. Not only is the position an intellectual one, where you have to read the defense on every snap. You also have to be the leader of grown men who are already millionaires and who have kids. So you need a leader in the huddle and in the locker room. Not some immature kid. I think poor interviews bode very badly for Strong and Carrol. And conversely, Pickett did very well which helps his stock.

I've always thought the Panthers were closer than many here thought. And well respected OL coach James Campen is, hopefully, the key to bringing it all together. LT at #6 one good IOL as a free agent Moton, Christensen, Elflein at C for the other starters. Maybe Campen can coach up Michael Jordan and Deonte Brown into serviceable backups or even spot starters The goal is to just be a league average OL. That would be a huge improvement over last season.

I'd be all in on Kaepernick if it stopped Carolina from the madness of offering 3 first round picks for Deshaun Watson. Not going for the best decision. Just the least really stupid.

For all those suggesting drafting a QB this year at #6 - when Rhule is eventually ousted a new coach is going to come in with a new offensive scheme. And he's going to want "his guy" not some desperation pick from the previous regime. We're not talking about finding an Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning in the 2022 draft. The new coach will get more time and leeway dumping the young QB and making his own choice. Why tie yourself to a (likely bad) decision that somebody else made ? Get somebody who matches up exactly with the offense you want to run. So a QB in the first is probably a wasted pick that puts the Carolina franchise even further from ever being competitive. Compare that to drafting a LT or star defensive player in 2022 who the incoming coach will welcome with open arms.

That move smacks of complete desperation by Rhule. If Carolina is stupid enough to destroy the entire franchise for Watson, I'll leave as a fan and never come back.

For me it all comes down to Strong's health. Has his knee completely healed ? Is there structural integrity? Will the knee just deteriorate in short order ? I love Strong's arm talent and productivity. But I have serious concerns about his knee and how it affects his overall mobility. So the medical eval would be the deciding factor.

I'd say this is accurate and I'd bet a lot of the preference for Willis and Pickett is due to recency bias. Those two threw at the Combine. Corral did not (due to the ankle injury he had in the bowl game). Which goes to show that for QB, the Combine can hurt a team's decision making process as much as it helps it. Guys throwing bombs in shorts and t-shirts get all the ooo's and ahhh's from the scouts but that doesn't show how the QB can diagnose a defense, look off a safety or make the right throw given the coverage. Only tape shows that. And those skills ultimately project best to NFL success.

With access to an NFL strength & conditioning program and nutritionists, It's pretty reasonable to think that Corral can put on 10 or 15 pounds in his first year or two. With his height and frame, that shouldn't be a problem. And at that size he should be plenty big enough to withstand the rigors of an NFL season.

If the Panthers took any of Ekwonu, Neal or Cross, I'd be ecstatic.

I agree about no QB being worth a pick before #40. But at least 2 will make it into the first round if for no other reason than the extra year of the rookie contract. That's especially important given these guys are all developmental prospects who will burn a redshirt year not playing as rookies in the NFL.

Corral is battle-tested in the SEC. A two year starter with 2nd team All SEC honors as a Senior. Got better every year which is exactly what you want to see. Shows clear examples of moving the defense with his eyes. Quick release, good spiral and solid arm strength. Size is adequate and he's got very good mobility (ran for 11 TD in 2021). Some ball security issues. Maybe some of those are due to playing hero ball. Occasional head-scratching accuracy. But overall there's a lot to like. See the video below for a detailed breakdown of his game. I highly recommend the channel for those who are interested in how to evaluate QB's. For me the total package with Corral is better than Willis (great physical tools but lots to learn) or Pickett (a one year wonder who played with an outstanding WR group).

CRUSHES the top 3 LT RB Breece Hall - elite athlete with tons of college production DE Aidan Hutchinson - will be really good for a long time S Dax Hill - speed, speed, speed WR Drake London - total beast at WR CB Trent McDuffie - year 1 starter LT Bernhard Raimann - is already good and just going to get better LT Trevor Penning - nasty attitude C Tyler Linderbaum - core piece of an NFL line for a decade BUSTS CB Derek Stingley Jr. - talent but his lack of games played and injury history is concerning DE Kayvon Thibodeaux - talks too much about his "brand". Seems like he's not that into football WR Jameson Williams - super talented but that torn ACL in the championship game leaves a lot of uncertainty QB Malik Willis - great raw ability but if he goes to the wrong team (such as the Panthers) he'll never fully develop QB Kenny Pickett - if he goes to a domed team, maybe OK. I think his upside is Andy Dalton.

LT Charles Cross falling to the Panthers and actually being taken would be WONDERFUL !!! I heard Rich Eisen say on his show recently that according to Combine chatter "the Panthers are 'locked-in' to taking an OL at #6 ".

I think everybody is jumping on the bandwagon for "Jags going Aiden Hutchinson" after his solid Combine performance and the Jags franchise tag of their starting LT Cam Robinson.

Jaguars: DE Aiden Hutchinson Lion: S Kyle Hamilton Texans: OL Ikem Ekwonu Jets: OT Evan Neal Giants: DE Travon Walker Panthers: OT Charles Cross Giants: WR Garret Wilson Falcons: WR Drake London Seahawks: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux Jets: CB Sauce Gardner Commanders: QB Kenny Pickett Vikings: DE Jermaine Johnson II Browns: DT Devonta Wyatt Ravens: OT Trevor Penning Eagles: LB Devin Lloyd Eagles: CB Derek Stingley Chargers: DT Jordan Davis Saints: WR Chris Olave Eagles: DE Davis Ojabo Steelers: QB Malik Willis Patriots: LB Nakobe Dean Raiders: WR Treylon Burks Cardinals: CB Trent McDuffie Cowboys: DE George Karlaftis Bills: WR Jameson Williams Titans: C Tyler Linderbaum Buccaneers: G Kenyon Green Packers: WR Jahan Dotson Falcons trade: QB Matt Corral Chiefs: S Daxton Hill Bengals: Zion Johnson G Lions: OLB Boye Mafe