Round 1 - Carolina Panthers Select Shaq Thompson

[Nick_81]

Black & Blue Review ‏@BlackBlueReview  57s58 seconds ago

FWIW

 

 

 

3:12 PM - 1 May 2015 · Details

 

[Galvatron]

Adam Jude ‏@A_Jude  41m41 minutes ago

Doesn't sound like Shaq Thompson would've made it to second round. Had Carolina passed at 25, hearing Cowboys were ready to pounce at 27.

 

Saw Kurb retweet this and wanted to share for those who thought he'd be there at 57. 

[Nick_81]

 

Adam Jude ‏@A_Jude  41m41 minutes ago

Doesn't sound like Shaq Thompson would've made it to second round. Had Carolina passed at 25, hearing Cowboys were ready to pounce at 27.

 

Saw Kurb retweet this and wanted to share for those who thought he'd be there at 57. 

 

Hmmm...  NFL teams know more than the huddletards?  Amazing!  Also, we weren't the only team to work him out, contrary to popular belief...

 

Adam Jude @A_Jude · 45m45 minutes ago

Cowboys were one of five teams to host Shaq on a visit. Four teams had formal workouts with him. (Carolina only team to do both.)

[panthers55]

We already have a former top 10 pick on the team with questionable hands

And Ginn still has top-end speed. How would Perriman be different. Other than Kevin White or Amani Cooper, I don't think there's a wide receiver so superior we can't wait until the 2nd or 3rd round for.

And I still wouldn't be shocked if Gettleman picks a Defensive Lineman or CB in the 2nd.

We still have 8 picks left. And there is still a lot of WR/OT depth left in the draft according to people who get paid to know.

The LB/S depth was very slim and we got a player with tremendous upside.

Nobody knows how Shaq will end up but I don't think we've missed our chance on getting a WR that could be a potential #2 yet either.

I don't know that Gettleman wouldn't see RB2 as a bigger need right now than WR2

As I said, we will draft a wide receiver tonight.  Frankly I hope it is Justin Hardy.  Still what Perriman had which we dont have on this team is 4.2 speed.  Ginn isnt close anymore.  Plus he has size and strength and can go up and make the catch.  Benjamin is huge but is not a speedy guy who can blow off the top.  Still I know that there are plenty of guy out there and trust Gettleman to make some good picks. And we have to move on and not dwell on the past.

 

And honestly if Shaq can be a safety in this league then he will be worth the pick.

 

I am not unhappy just wished we went another direction.  As for the rest of the conversation about those that didnt like Kuechly, I was one of the main guys saying Kuechly would be fantastic. That was obvious.  Frankly Shaq is a great athlete but isnt close to Kuechly coming out of college. 

[KSpan]

I have been detailing this for the past month. I did not want to go into it too much because the Panthers slow played this to perfection.

As for the people who understand the growth of the spread offense and hybrid TE in short yardage, they get this pick. For everyone who still thinks teams play a base 4-3 most of the time will throw out the Thomas Davis comparison from 10 years ago. The NFL has changed.

There was one position the Panthers could not fill and that was the hybrid LB/SS. Colin Jones finished the season in this spot. When you see the S or CB playing near the line and in the box this is called the Big Nickel. I have talked about it previously. Here is a link if you need to read about it.

google the articles here

Read up there are several articles on it.

Shaq Thompson is going to play OLB - not safety. He will line up in a 4-3 and when the offense spreads out Shaq becomes the Big Nickel. Spread offenses have been using this to give an edge to their QB to pre snap read the defense and know if it is in zone or man. With a hybrid OLB that is no longer an advantage. Why do you think the Seahawks do so well on defense? This throws QBs for a loop and causes more mistakes and delays.

Last season the Panthers had AJ Klein/Chase Blackburn getting caught in pass coverage, and Bene Benwikere would get caught in a run play and crossing routes from these spread formations in short yardage. Shaq instantly solves that and he frees up Kuechly and Davis on day one.

The Panthers now have the defensive personnel by adding Shaq and Tillman to run big nickel and big dime packages that will rival that of the Seahawks while neutralizing QB pre snap reads and spread offenses. For long passing downs the Panthers will still use a traditional nickel and dime which will replace Shaq with Tillman or Bene in the nickel. Shaq will be in that OLB and Big Nickel postion on all short yardage downs.

This is huge. The Patriots and Seahawks have been doing this for a few years now.

Also, keep in mind Shaq can team with Ginn on kickoff returns, and he can play gunner.

What I find interesting is this notion I have heard rumblings of that the Panthers want to select Ty Montgomery later in the draft. The idea is to pair Ty and Shaq at the RB position in a read option package with Cam Newton. Might be 6 to 10 plays a game in the red zone. You can go from having Ty and Shaq in the backfield to a spread offense in the red zone with both at receiver.

Hope this helps. If you do not understand the formations and the amount they are used, then just wait till the season and the 4 game stretch against the spreads on short yardage you will see against the Packers, Eagles, Seahawks, and Colts. You will be thrilled to have Kuechly, Davis, Shaq and Tillman then when those QBs are left guessing if it is man or zone pre snap. If it were Kuechly, Davis, Klein/Colin Jones, and Bene in the box, I guarantee you those QBs will know where they are going and if they are audibling to a run or screen 5 seconds before the snap.

Agree with pretty much everything except for your comment about the dime - Luke and TD never leave the field. Carolina doesn't play a dime defense, so Shaq's selection negates a large part ofmthe need for a nickel back, letting Carolina essentially roll with 3 corners and, because of Colin Jones' nickel experience last year, 4 or 5 safeties on their roster if they choose. The flexibility that this guy offers is insane, and it frees a roster spot for an 'ST ace' or someone else they don't want to lose, or even another speed receiver who only plays on passing downs and doesn't play ST.

It will be very interesting to see if he plays ST or not given his assumed immediate value to the defense. If he can truly step in and quickly perform in this role, the roster flexibility will be tremendous. Only question would be if the staff is creative enough to truly make use of it.

[Ace_Aladdin]

I hate that I missed reading this in my original pass through the topic. Brilliant explanation and you have me convinced and excited to see Shaq on the field. Great read!

I understand your defense analysis but the option of him in read option is not that useful, we already have J-stew who has done read option since college is overall better than Shaq. you would be taking a better player off the field

[Jeremy Igo]

Big nickel = Buffalo nickel = Buffalo

[DaCityKats]

I know you aren't a Shaq fan and I changed my mind a couple times throughout the college season but at the end of the day he's a playmaker.

I am hoping we trade up for Devin Smith tomorrow, we need to!

Who did you want at 25?

 

Perriman, Dorsett, Gregory, Randall (who has grown on me, and is a very versatile DB), or Jones.

 

I do not think the value was there for an OL, but DB and WR i thought had better value. 

[OldNorthPowell]

Boykins and Ginn give us the opportunity to take the best football player.  Especially Boykins, I think this a good pick up for us and is as good as any rookie that was still on the board. If White or Cooper were still available and we picked Shaq I might agree with you.

 

This class of WR is very deep.  There are many WRs still available as well as OT.

 

If you think Boykin or Ginn are going to fill that number two WR spot then I do not think we will ever see eye to eye when it comes to why this team has lost games. We lose games because and ONLY because our offense is so putrid. Even a great defense needs a offense that can put up some points.

[PanthersBigD]

Was just listening to movin the chains and some disphit panther fan asked a question and then talked over the top of Pat Kirwan explaining why Shaq was a great pick.

[GRWatcher]

If you think the number two WR position has been addressed I will be sure to bring that up half way through next season when Cam is getting coverage sacked and people on here are like WTF is wrong with our offense.

 

First you'll have to convince them that it is a coverage sack & good luck with that. I'm feared that too many Huddlers are too wasted on game day to recognize a coverage sack even when the announcer says something like, "all of Cam's options were covered on that play. That was a coverage sack." lol OMG if we can get posters to just recognize what a coverage sack is, that would be a major improvement. I don't follow the game day threads any more; they're too painful.

[OldNorthPowell]

First you'll have to convince them that it is a coverage sack & good luck with that. I'm feared that too many Huddlers are too wasted on game day to recognize a coverage sack even when the announcer says something like, "all of Cam's options were covered on that play. That was a coverage sack." lol OMG if we can get posters to just recognize what a coverage sack is, that would be a major improvement. I don't follow the game day threads any more; they're too painful.

 

I think there are still a lot of knowledgeable people on here and I see them including those who like the pick. I think the pick was a good pick if we needed a LB but we did not and there was a WR available that could of helped us a ton more by being a legitimate weapon opposite of Benjamin. Cam has had ONE pick for him since he has been in Carolina that has actually been to give him more offensive stability. Benjamin was a great pick and I think Shaq will be a great player but the pick will be a head scratcher in my mind with the current roster we have.

[MedellinHeel]

I think there are still a lot of knowledgeable people on here and I see them including those who like the pick. I think the pick was a good pick if we needed a LB but we did not and there was a WR available that could of helped us a ton more by being a legitimate weapon opposite of Benjamin. Cam has had ONE pick for him since he has been in Carolina that has actually been to give him more offensive stability. Benjamin was a great pick and I think Shaq will be a great player but the pick will be a head scratcher in my mind with the current roster we have.

 

We needed an OLB. Outside of Luke and TD we do not have another great LB. In addition, TD is going to be retiring soon. 

[OldNorthPowell]

I think TD has a few more years and could of been replaced in next year's draft. I am just lost on why LB was a priority when the glaring weakness on this team for anyone with eye sight and hell even hearing was the offense. We ran the ball decent but our passing game sucked and caused a lot of problems with Cam being coverage sacked. Hate to beat that dead horse on the WR position or the OT (which OT was depleted by our pick) but it is the truth when looking at this team.