Grade the Panthers Day 3 and Overall Draft.

[GoobyPls]

You mean the guy that still hasn't been drafted by anybody with only fourteen picks left to go in the 7th?

Oh, yeah. Instant starter there.

Brown wasn't drafted, Ginn was a 4th string receiver and no one wanted Cotchery

Everyone had McBride as a 4th or 5th round pick, but he's one of these diva receivers

[JawnyBlaze]

Day 3: B. An A, a B and an F minus average out to a B to me.

Overall C.

[Mr. Scot]

Brown wasn't drafted, Ginn was a 4th string receiver and no one wanted Cotchery

Everyone had McBride as a 4th or 5th round pick, but he's one of these diva receivers

 

Titans took him with 12 picks to go

 

And I'd say this has a lot to do with it...

 

Rumored to have blazing speed, but doesn't show up on tape. Rarely runs away from defense on vertical routes or after catch. Average acceleration off of release. Rounds off routes and won't get much acceleration out of breaks. Needs to improve selling routes. Balance at top of his routes is inconsistent because he will ride too high into cuts. Scouts say inability to separate is biggest concern for him.

 

Plus this...

 

Bottom Line

Teams will have to answer questions about his level of ability to get open because he has the art of catching the ball down pat. Vertical speed and separation quickness appear to be average considering his competition level, so teams must figure out whether to keep him outside or utilize his size and toughness over the middle in the slot.

 

And then there's this...

 

NFL Comparison Brandon LaFell

 

[Mol3m4n]

C+ barely, not sold on the first pick and the 5th round lb is a head scratcher I like funchess but felt we could have gotten him at our original 2nd pick if not strong would have been there

This

[Kevin Greene]

Bump for the evening crowd.

[KJ89]

A, A, A, A, A

A

Awesome draft.

[juliosantos]

my grade is  an A.

 

shaq thompson -

a beast with alot of upside , the thing about him that stands out to me the most is his big play ability, hes always forcing fumbles and scoring defensive touchdowns . i also like the fact that he has great coverage and can play anywhere basically.

 

funchess-

 i wanted a big wr in the draft someone that can be another big target and a solid #2 , did not think we would get funchess because he is similar to k.b, but im happy as hell we did because now we got two k.bs on the field and he is extremely underrated and never had a qb in college .

 

daryl williams-

played rt , i personally think he can be a lt . he is MEAN and thats what i like the most in my lineman someone that has the fire like andrew norwell and is ready to kick ass every play, he is a bully at run blocking and looked good in pass protection as well.

 

david mayo-

small school guy, couldn't find much tape on him . but to keep it quick he looked like a poor mans luke kuechly , he flys to the ball and makes tackles in the back field also good at rushing the passer when blitzing , he is going to be better then klein.

 

cameron artis payne-

played great in the sr bowl when he actually had a oline blocking for him , if you watch the wr bowl again you will see he gained most of his team yards when he was in , he looked very dominant and he  is a power back and thats the type of backs that fit us the best. 

[Peppers90 NC]

Would have liked to take a flier in Ifo. With Tillman here, he could have had extra time to get healthy and not needed to rush back in.

[MHS831]

Nobody knows how this will work, but how can you say that we did not address our key needs?  We were average at OLB with Klein.  We are now more versatile, faster, and more explosive with Shaq.  We all loved what Remmers was doing at RT last year, but he could not run block well.  We have a road grader beside Turner, another road grader--both are in their early twenties.  We can run right for the next 10 years.  Oher, Martin, and Remmers can compete at LT.  Funchess can get deep and he is a big WR--best of both worlds.  Cam tends to throw high.  Sure, he and Benjamin drop more passes than average NFL WRs, but their wing span is so big, they have more opportunities to drop passes.  I seriously think that Benjamin, Funchess, Cotchery, Brown, Ginn, Boykin, and maybe Hill could be a terrific WR group.  We are solid at TE.  We improved the run game with Artis-Payne, Oher, and Williams.  Mayo?  Who knows, but I know they loved him.  His primary role will be special teams, but he gives us enough depth at 2 positions he could save a roster spot.

 

I was hoping that we would draft a CB and some DL help, but I think we are OK if Tillman can stay healthy or if Byndum can step up.

 

In addition, we have 2 or 3 UDFA who can make this team.  That kid from Utah is a player--mark my words--he makes this team.  Mark them!  The CB from Clemson is another. 

 

Everyone (me included) starts bitching when we see Clemmings or Bennett sitting there, round after round, and we don't draft them when the card is handed in.  however, all other teams didn't either.  It is one of those things where the media copies one another into building a player into something he is not.  Mayock is good at evaluating some positions, but his OL skills are questionable.  he started signing Clemmings' praises before the SR bowl, where he sucked and lost confidence.  Too proud to admit it, he kept pimping him.  Looks like an ass now.

[pantherclaw]

I voted F, since there is no possible way to grade the draft a day after it's over.

[SOJA]

Grade yet to be determined 

 

 

But if our first three picks pan out, Mayo ends up being a solid special teams/backup player, and the RB contributes- then it is a home run for me

 

 

people have been saying this draft wasn't very good, you guys just don't listen 

[Woodie]

I love how so many seem to know where players should have been taken and who would have been the better pick based on rankings by the Mike Mayocks of the world and names they've heard.  The reality is that if every NFL team passes on a guy for 6+ rounds that Mayock had rated as a 2nd or 3rd round value, then maybe he's not someone you should be taking all that seriously.  Obviously, his evaluation skills are not all that advanced by NFL standards...despite all his cute lingo and self promotion.

 

And I am even more amused by the level of hate most seem to have for the pick of a player they have never even heard of, let alone done even one second of research on prior to the pick.  I have no idea if Mayo will turn out to be any good or not, but bashing the pick based simply on the fact that I have never heard of him would be beyond ludicrous.  And being mad because we did not take someone whose name you know and heard could have been a 2nd or 3rd round pick is just as silly.   

[Squirrel]

I love how so many seem to know where players should have been taken and who would have been the better pick based on rankings by the Mike Mayocks of the world and names they've heard.  The reality is that if every NFL team passes on a guy for 6+ rounds that Mayock had rated as a 2nd or 3rd round value, then maybe he's not someone you should be taking all that seriously.  Obviously, his evaluation skills are not all that advanced by NFL standards...despite all his cute lingo and self promotion.

 

And I am even more amused by the level of hate most seem to have for the pick of a player they have never even heard of, let alone done even one second of research on prior to the pick.  I have no idea if Mayo will turn out to be any good or not, but bashing the pick based simply on the fact that I have never heard of him would be beyond ludicrous.  And being mad because we did not take someone whose name you know and heard could have been a 2nd or 3rd round pick is just as silly.   

 

 

 

Its called being a fan.  We know are opinion doesnt matter to the team but we still like to express them. 

 

Most on this board trust Gettleman. 

[Woodie]

As for my grade, I'll give it the only reasonable grade I can an I = incomplete.  It's simply too soon to tell right now.  I would have preferred not to have given up our 3rd, but other than that, I have no problem with any of the trades.

 

Thompson - I didn't like the pick at the time.  But that was more because I wanted someone else, than anything about Shaq as a player.  I think he'll actually be a very good addition to our defense, and will make us much more dangerous.  And I get the impression that McDermott has been limited in what he would like to do because we didn't have the personnel, but Shaq may allow him to be more creative in his game planning and play calling.

 

Funchess - He was one guy I really didn't want heading into the draft; I just saw him as a KB lite, and felt we needed more speed instead.  After researching him a bit more, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.  He's probably more athletic than I gave him credit for, and may be a little better at YAC and getting downfield than KB.  So, I'll reserve judgment until I see how we use him, and how effective he will be.  But I do see the matchup problems he'll create along side of KB.

 

Williams - This pick is one I loved.  I wanted a LT, but am happy to have a true road grader next to Turner.  That should really open up our running game, which in turn will help open up our passing game.  I see us as a much more complete and balanced offense this season.

 

Mayo - I was shocked at the pick because he was a no-name that I knew nothing about.  And even since he was taken, there's little to be found except some short highlights.  But I like what I saw from those highlights.  He seems to be a relentless player with a great motor and diagnoses the play pretty well.  He also appears to be a very good tackler that goes for the strip on every tackle.  In other words, he seems like a ST demon.  He also looks to potentially be a decent backup, but we'll have to wait and see for that.

 

Artis-Payne - Loved this pick as well...particularly where we got him.  There were other backs I wanted more, but they all went much earlier (this is the position I wanted to use our 3rd on).  So, under the circumstances, I feel good that we came away from the draft with a legitimate RB that can be a solid backup and emergency starter.  I don't think he'll ever be a star, but I do see him as quality depth.