Shaq Thompson is PFF's highest graded 1st rounder so far...

[2jakefansinva]

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Lmao.........best ever!

[TheNewStandard]

Shaq-tastic!!! He'll be ready and primed for a seamless transition to replace TD when his time here is done. 

They use to say Penn was LBU, I'm pretty sure that the Panthers are the LBF(franchise.) 

Shaq is a TD clone with Lukes sideline-to-sideline speed and ball hawking. Just the fact that he had 7 tackles in such limited snaps shows how active he is. Can't wait for him to mature and solidify his role in this defense.

[Seltzer]

Just going to leave this here... From the MMQB's Training Camp Blog back in July... 

Three things you need to know about the Panthers:

3. GM Dave Gettleman has staked his scouting reputation on Shaq Thompson.

Was it a reach to draft the Washington safety/linebacker with the 25th pick in the first round? Before Thompson takes even a preseason snap, most would say yes. He’s playing weakside linebacker in Carolina with a pretty great supporting cast, including Luke Keuchly and Thomas Davis. He’ll prove the general manager a genius if he can run with the Jimmy Graham’s of the world and take on the occasional lead block, something he wasn’t often asked to do in college.

[uncfan888]

Is it too early to say I told you so? =]

You didn't even want us to pick Shaq..  According to some on here .  Hahaha

[TheNewStandard]

Not to toot my horn, but I saw him at the combine, then studied some college games and highlights and He passed the eye test with flying colors. I knew this was the guy I wanted us to draft. 

On another note, he's doing his best work without Luke being on the field which speaks volumes as he was the matchup the Saints were looking for. 

Now it's becoming a question of who's the better nickel-back between Shaq and Bene'. 

Shaq has looked the part to compliment and open-up the playbook for blitz packages drawn up for Luke and TD...and that's what we need as we are getting next to zero pressure from our front four.

[TheNewStandard]

Just going to leave this here... From the MMQB's Training Camp Blog back in July... 

Three things you need to know about the Panthers:

3. GM Dave Gettleman has staked his scouting reputation on Shaq Thompson.

Was it a reach to draft the Washington safety/linebacker with the 25th pick in the first round? Before Thompson takes even a preseason snap, most would say yes. He’s playing weakside linebacker in Carolina with a pretty great supporting cast, including Luke Keuchly and Thomas Davis. He’ll prove the general manager a genius if he can run with the Jimmy Graham’s of the world and take on the occasional lead block, something he wasn’t often asked to do in college.

these were questions I had as well...but not the coverage part...Shaq is a savant in coverage and his play recognition is a close second. Once he sees the ball and reacts...his sideline-to-sideline speed is really second-to-none. 

As far as shedding blocks goes, as long as he can move head-on through a lead blocker or two, there's peanut, Norman and Klein to clean house.

[TheNewStandard]

Last thing...our rush defense last season was horrible. This year's rush-defense is in the top-5 I believe.

just checked NFL/2015/team stats/defense/rushing.com

and we are ranked #4 in rushing defense.

[Dex]

You didn't even want us to pick Shaq..  According to some on here .  Hahaha

"take a seat fam"

[Cary Kollins]

in that article, someone in the comments mentions another PFF article post-draft on the "biggest reaches"

spoiler alert: Shaq was #1

 

Thompson doesn’t have the worst grade we gave out for a draft pick, and he wasn’t the reach taken the highest in the first round, but the magnitude of this reach may be the biggest overall, especially when coupled with his potential fit in Carolina.

Thompson is the ultimate jack-of-all-trades player, right down to being a guy who played both sides of the ball in college. At linebacker he wasn’t poor at any one thing but most of his highlight reel surrounds recovering fumbles, which people use to claim he has a ‘nose for the football’. That kind of play is more luck than repeatable skill and the more important values to look at are his down-by-down grading, which saw him ranked 19th in the FBS among draft-eligible linebackers.

Add that to the fact his measurables were far from stellar and Carolina already has Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly entrenched at linebacker and you’re left with a player of suspect production who has no obvious fit for playing time in that defense.

 

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/05/06/10-biggest-draft-reaches/

 

Another example of stat nerds being on the outside looking in.

[TheNewStandard]

in that article, someone in the comments mentions another PFF article post-draft on the "biggest reaches"

spoiler alert: Shaq was #1

 

 

 

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/05/06/10-biggest-draft-reaches/

 

Another example of stat nerds being on the outside looking in.

unbelievable...how does a WLB not fit into our defensive-scheme? 

As far as his "measurables" go, he tested better than TD in the 3-cone and shuttle drills.

[ScreenPlay]

In fairness, he's being put in on plays where his skill set matches the situation.  That's going to give him higher marks than an every down player.

lol Jesus Christ sounds like great drafting and coaching to me

[ScreenPlay]

You have to be a complete nut to think Shaq wouldn't fit in this defense with the best LB duo in the league. I instantly loved the pick bc I understood what DG and RR were doing. TD can't play forever so why not let him teach Shaq. 

 

 

I got chills down my when TD made that major hit on 3rd, and he went to the sideline to sit down and Shaq was right there waiting to give  him dap. 

[d-run]

I think it's hilarious this board loves PFF when it gives our players good grades but if anyone uses PFF to show how we could upgrade at a position they are worthless

[R0CKnR0LLA]

It was a really weak draft for 1st round talent. Most everyone only had around 20 guys with 1st round grades and we were picking at the end of the 1st. All things considered we came away with a very solid pick.

If you want a good laugh, look at the Saints draft. Both of their 1st round picks have been horrible so far.