Panthers Predraft Visits/Meetings and What We Can Foolishly Read From Them

[Delhommey]

http://blackandbluereview.com/panthers-draft-workouts-visits-pro-day/

The good thing about the current administration, is you can kinda make a good natured guess about what's going on based on the evidence at hand. Not too many smokescreens with Riverboat and Nippleshorts.

Looking at the list of meetings and workouts, I think we can make a few awkward swipes as to what the Panthers plan to do in 5 weeks:

1. The front office wants to protect Cam and give him weapons: The majority of visits so far? OT, RB, and WR.

Like it or not, RB remains a serious position of need. Stewart is great when healthy, but any GM betting the house on JStew's health is likely going to be looking for places to live soon. Also, his contract.

2. Ginn is a short term answer: Lockett, Montgomery, and Crowder are all WR's, but they're also the top returners available. I think it's almost guaranteed we will pick a KR/PR in the later rounds.

It's pretty clear we fans weren't the only ones pawing at the bottle when Bersin went back to field punts.

3. Gman will grab a dlineman or two: If a nice shiny pass rusher is available, Dave won't think twice. Who's to argue with a plan that brought NY 2 rings? Also, we're looking for long term replacements for Cole and Edwards.

4. Tackle will probably be covered in the second round or later: Most of the OTs being brought in are second tier or less. Compare that with RB, WR, CB, and LB where we're bringing in top tier prospects that could easily go much higher than our pick. This points to us waiting a bit for an OT as Dave and Co probably don't see a good amount of first round value.

5. We're probably getting a fast LB and/or CB: they want to speed up the D and ST's, so why not do it all in one fell swoop? Waynes, Darby, and Kendricks are all speed merchants and would improve ST coverage as well as defensive depth.

Obviously anything can happen on draft day, and at 25 you have to wait to see what falls to you. Still, I think the visits along with Gettleman and Rivera's press conferences give us a decent glimpse of what they hope to accomplish.

[Mr. Scot]

Also worth noting the majority come from larger schools.

[Germy Ego]

We will get a tackle, wr, and cb in this draft. That I know. Probably a rb as well

[Ken]

Actually so far we've met/worked out

8 CBs

8 WRs

7 OTs

6 RBs

5 LBs

4 DE

 

Full list sorted by position is available in the draft section.

[Kevin Greene]

Absolutely RB is a position of need, I trust Getts will make a selection in the appropriate time/round. 

[Delhommey]

Actually so far we've met/worked out

8 CBs

8 WRs

7 OTs

6 RBs

5 LBs

4 DE

Full list sorted by position is available in the draft section.

Probably should have made it more clear that it's more those three combined, meaning offense (specifically those positions) has a slight advantage over defense. I'd be floored if we took a TE, QB, or Interior Lineman in the early rounds.

I suspect speedy CB or WR/RB is our most likely 1st pick followed by OT or LB. Obviously depends on what's there.

[Verge]

It kind of seems like they want to go cb in the first and then ot and wr in the following 3-4 rounds.

[jfo89]

http://blackandbluereview.com/panthers-draft-workouts-visits-pro-day/

The good thing about the current administration, is you can kinda make a good natured guess about what's going on based on the evidence at hand. Not too many smokescreens with Riverboat and Nippleshorts.

Looking at the list of meetings and workouts, I think we can make a few awkward swipes as to what the Panthers plan to do in 5 weeks:

1. The front office wants to protect Cam and give him weapons: The majority of visits so far? OT, RB, and WR.

Like it or not, RB remains a serious position of need. Stewart is great when healthy, but any GM betting the house on JStew's health is likely going to be looking for places to live soon. Also, his contract.

2. Ginn is a short term answer: Lockett, Montgomery, and Crowder are all WR's, but they're also the top returners available. I think it's almost guaranteed we will pick a KR/PR in the later rounds.

It's pretty clear we fans weren't the only ones pawing at the bottle when Bersin went back to field punts.

3. Gman will grab a dlineman or two: If a nice shiny pass rusher is available, Dave won't think twice. Who's to argue with a plan that brought NY 2 rings? Also, we're looking for long term replacements for Cole and Edwards.

4. Tackle will probably be covered in the second round or later: Most of the OTs being brought in are second tier or less. Compare that with RB, WR, CB, and LB where we're bringing in top tier prospects that could easily go much higher than our pick. This points to us waiting a bit for an OT as Dave and Co probably don't see a good amount of first round value.

5. We're probably getting a fast LB and/or CB: they want to speed up the D and ST's, so why not do it all in one fell swoop? Waynes, Darby, and Kendricks are all speed merchants and would improve ST coverage as well as defensive depth.

Obviously anything can happen on draft day, and at 25 you have to wait to see what falls to you. Still, I think the visits along with Gettleman and Rivera's press conferences give us a decent glimpse of what they hope to accomplish.

 

 

Very good write up, I agree with many of your statements, but I also have some counterpoints to make.

 

1. Tackle will probably be covered in the second round or later: Most of the OTs being brought in are second tier or less. Compare that with RB, WR, CB, and LB where we're bringing in top tier prospects that could easily go much higher than our pick. This points to us waiting a bit for an OT as Dave and Co probably don't see a good amount of first round value.

 

We have met with La'el Collins, Ereck Flowers, and D.J. Humphries. All of these prospects are 1st round talents. Now for the other positions: 

Wr: Devante Parker is the only consensus 1st round talent of the group of receivers we have met with.

Rb: Gurley is the only its round prospect.

Cb: Kevin Johnson and Trae Waynes are projected 1st rounders, possible that Darby is, but probably not.

Lb: As with Darby, kendricks and Mckinney are fringe 1st rounders, but it's very possible that they slide to the 2nd, even late 2nd.

 

my second point is, just because we met with these prospects, does not mean that we like them. For example, a private meeting, where the prospect comes to Charlotte could be because the team is not sold on that players ability to grasp playbooks, or that they need to look a little deeper into some character concerns. In contrast, an on campus meeting where the coaches run the player through drills, could be a result of doubting a players athleticism. So either way, a visit might not be a good thing for the prospect. Then again, if the player performs well during these evaluations, it could raise them higher on Gettleman's draft board. 

 

Having said all this, I do completely agree with points 1 and 3. People keep thinking that we're set at DT, without realizing that Dwan and Colin are only short term answers, and we need some solid young guys to take their place in the rotation soon. Also, we will draft a RB this year, especially after the Pats stealing Gaffney and the little guy from Oregon not working out.

 

 

Also don't be surprised if we go DE/S in the 1st.

[Verge]

If I had to take a stab at it

 

Rounds:

1. OT

2. WR

3. RB

4. LB/DB/WR

[UpstatePanther]

Actually so far we've met/worked out

8 CBs

8 WRs

7 OTs

6 RBs

5 LBs

4 DE

Full list sorted by position is available in the draft section.

my second point is, just because we met with these prospects, does not mean that we like them.

While it's true that individual visits might not mean we like the prospect, the positions we entertain show us a lot about what our front office views as weaknesses on the team. Its very encouraging that CB, OT, and WR are at the top of that list. I trust the front office to make the right decision about a running back. I wouldn't take one, but if they do, I won't flame them for it either. One.position I do wish we were paying more attention to is the safety position. Coleman, Boston, and Harper? I think it's obvious we still need an upgrade there...

[Delhommey]

While it's true that individual visits might not mean we like the prospect, the positions we entertain show us a lot about what our front office views as weaknesses on the team. Its very encouraging that CB, OT, and WR are at the top of that list. I trust the front office to make the right decision about a running back. I wouldn't take one, but if they do, I won't flame them for it either. One.position I do wish we were paying more attention to is the safety position. Coleman, Boston, and Harper? I think it's obvious we still need an upgrade there...

This year's safety class is thin. Landon Collins is the only guy you could give a 1st round grade to.

The TE class is bad too, but we're a little better off there now.

[stirs]

Most fans look at now, and I mean right now.

 

GM's look at now, next year and the year after that.

 

Who can contribute now?  A RB and a WR

Who needs a year to learn?  Any OT in this draft that you are thinking can handle the left side, thus our stop gap with Oher

Who might be in their last season here?  Norman? Stewart? TD?

 

My thoughts are something like

 

1st   Strong or Gurley (Immediate contributors)

2nd  Cedric (gonna be learning behind Oher and strengthening his knee)

3rd   Speedy DB or Buck Allen if we take Strong in the first.

4th   DT's OT's to line up behind starters.

 

and so on

[Soul Rebel]

Not only banking on J.Stew staying healthy, but the depth behind him is scary too. Though Gurley has injury issues, he and Tevin Coleman would be immediate contributors next year and beyond.  I really do think Stewart is not a Panther this time, next year.  

 

As much as I cringe seeing Shula on the sidelines, I wonder how much better he would look with a nasty young RB, and a QB that has an OL that can protect him long enough to find his receivers. 

[Pejorative Miscreant]

IMO there are a couple things that can happen:

1. A guy visits and when we are ready to draft he is available and is the BPA in which case we draft him.

2. A guy visits and when we are ready to draft someone else is the BPA in which case we don't draft him.

C. ( I did that on purpose). A guy visits and when we are ready to draft and he would have been BPA but some other team has drafted him already so we have to take someone else.

So no matter what happens we are either going to draft the guys that are visiting or we are going to draft someone else.