With God as My Witness, I Will Appreciate this Manifestly Above-average Draft Class.

[ncstatekwi]

The HUDDLE during pre-season.....

[NAS]

2 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

How is anyone judging this draft class on two preseason games? Positively or negatively.

You judge a draft class maybe 4 or 5 years down the road. That's when you actually know if what you did worked, save some outliers(CMC, Greg Little, etc).

Not necessarily, how many years did we have draft picks struggle to make the team, especially those drafted after the third round? You can tell early on if they have it or not.  For example, we all knew Eric Shelton and Dwayne Jarrett were busts in camp. 

[Captain Morgan]

[TheCasillas]

55 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

Our biggest need is LT.  Rashawn Slater seems to be crushing it for the Chargers as LT.   

 

:::punches wall::::

I guess you didn’t hear he had a back injury and has missed practice all week.

[kungfoodude]

24 minutes ago, NAS said:

Not necessarily, how many years did we have draft picks struggle to make the team, especially those drafted after the third round? You can tell early on if they have it or not.  For example, we all knew Eric Shelton and Dwayne Jarrett were busts in camp. 

Yeah but we are talking about an entire class, not just a player. That takes time unless it is an amazing class or a giant bust. 

[Steves89]

35 minutes ago, onmyown said:

Uh the season hasn’t begun bro. Tf you talking about

preseason is not a sample size lol

there are some legit doom and gloomers here but seriously, recognizing the above does not qualify

Oh honey...

[Khaki Lackey]

It’s great seeing them show flashes early. Very encouraging. 
It’s better than waiting 3 years for the likes of Greg Little to get it, and the hopeful excuses that come with it.

”Ok. Sometimes OTs take 4-5 years to flash.”

[Luciu5]

Eh, this place is more of a glass half empty kinda place.  Don't hang out too much or it starts rubbing off on you.

[BPF]

I get the sentiment and the fact we seem to have a real GM is definitely something to be happy about. 

[Fox007]

Rather just have one real person as a witness.

11 hours ago, kungfoodude said:

How is anyone judging this draft class on two preseason games? Positively or negatively.

You judge a draft class maybe 4 or 5 years down the road. That's when you actually know if what you did worked, save some outliers(CMC, Greg Little, etc).

We both win and also lose the Superbowl every year in the pre season. Also everyone gets fired every year this time of year as well.

[Fox007]

8 hours ago, Luciu5 said:

Eh, this place is more of a glass half empty kinda place.  Don't hang out too much or it starts rubbing off on you.

I mean it's a glass more than half empty team.

200-215-1

"Oh man my stonks be poo and have been for decades. I've lost millions. BUT THIS IS THE YEAR BABY!"

[DaveThePanther2008]

12 hours ago, Steves89 said:

I have been reading this board since it started in 2003. The best place to find panthers news and insight. I don't often post as I don't often feel that I have insightful things to say (that's called self-regard by the way, maybe one or two of you should try it) 

After 17 years of reading this board, following the Panthers, and reading the, let's face, frankly moronic garbage most of you post, this cicada is ready to emerge from its cocoon to awkwardly step over the shockingly low bar that is the standards of discourse around here and share a modicum of perspective to the larvae inching across the Huddle excreting their under-informed, over-indulged, doomsday-predicting detritus. 

My perspective is this: It is the pre-season - the most hopeful time of the year. The time of year when football is back, and yet, has not even begun. We have the whole, beautiful season of jubilant expectation not yet tainted by the cankered blossom of reality. More to the point, this is the most exciting draft class I can remember. Nearly every single draft pick has flashed promise. I mean, look at them.

 

Jaycee Horn - Frankly the pick I am most disappointed by, and I am really not that disappointed. He is in all likelihood an above-average starter from day one and has a chance to be a perennial pro-bowler. Swipe right on this dude. 

Terrace Marshall - Exceeded expectations and expectations were pretty high. He is our 3rd wr which practically makes him a starter day 1. Two draft picks. Two quality starters. Tough to top that.

Brady Christiansen - Played well through two preseason games. Lots are clamoring for him to start day 1. That would be three day 1 starters from our first three picks. Pretty amazing. More likely, he will settle into a starting roll later in the season. Right now, his floor looks like a high quality depth. I'll take it.

Tommy Tremble - Upgrades our blocking at the position immediately and has really flashed some ability as a receiver. Will get lots fo playing time. Also, has a name that sounds like an abandoned character that was planned to be the friend of Biff from Back to the Future. And he has only the second best name in this crop which brings us too...

Chuba Hubbard - Played very well through two preseason games. Will get tons of playing time spelling CMC and keeping him fresh. That's five picks and five hits so far. 

Daviyon Nixon - played well, flashed athleticism and provides quality depth in the middle of the line. Not bad for a rookie DT

Keith Taylor - played well in camp and showed some promise before his injury. even if he doesn't pan out, we are talking about a rookie 5th rounder.

Deonte Brown - Apparently a mountain got lost on its way to Appalachia and wandered onto our practice field. Turns out he can play. People are actually talking about him as a potential starter. Personally, I doubt it, but having quality depth from the 193rd pick in the draft when he is a rookie is outstanding. 

Shi Smith - Let's face it: Smith would be a starter on like, 75% of panthers teams in the past. Maybe you don't remember the days of Keary Colbert or Dwayne Jarrett. But I do. And those were 2nd rounders. The value we got at this pick is amazing!

Thomas Fletcher- I have nothing to say about this man. But he is a Panther and will forever be my brother. Great pick. 10/10.

Phil Hoskins - Seems to be outplaying Daviyon Nixon, who many projected going much earlier than we got him. Hoskins has been excellent in the action he has seen and will provide excellent depth.

With God as my witness, I will appreciated his manifestly above-average draft class!

We could not ask for a more promising draft class at this point. Spout whatever negative bullspit you want, but I am here to tell you that this is a great class. Enjoy it. It doesn't happen very often.  I remember Eric Shelton for God's sake. And if you don't know who Eric Shelton is, ask your grandfather how he developed that twitch. 

So here is my advise: Enjoy the ever-present now. Build your castles in the sky. And don't you ever dis a wide receiver named Smith again.

 

It absolutely boggles my mind how people cannot see the point of your post.

We have 11 players that at some point during the preseason show that the can contribute.

IMO Nixon, Taylor (injured) Fletcher and Hoskins have to show more for me to get super excited about them. The other 7 have shown enough to make me believe they are going to be solid contributors to this team and many of them this year.

I couldn't agree more on Horn.  He's going to get abused sometimes.  He has all the tools but some of these veteran WR are going to make the Fields fans go ballistic.  CB in the NFL is probably one of the toughest position to transition from college to the NFL.  He'll take his lumps this season. Depending on his growth through the season could be the sole reason our defense is elite or just average. 

That said, I still love the Horn pick.  He has the tools and potential to be a Pro-Bowl CB.  

[SOJA]

great post OP

I was thinking this exact same thing the other night. We absolutely nailed this draft class and last years is no slouch either. 

This makes me extremely optimistic for the future 

[DaveThePanther2008]

1 hour ago, SOJA said:

great post OP

I was thinking this exact same thing the other night. We absolutely nailed this draft class and last years is no slouch either. 

This makes me extremely optimistic for the future 

2020 is turing out to be a nice haul too.