PFF on all teams choice between 2 players in first round

[Captain Morgan]

first, can a mod remove the 23 from this section of the forum?  Just leave it as a draft forum without the year on it.

 

4. Carolina Panthers: Dl Mason Graham or EDGE Abdul Carter
For most of 2024, it appeared the Panthers would utilize this selection on another first-round quarterback. But given Bryce Young‘s recent resurgence (ninth-best PFF passing grade since Week 10), Carolina may be better suited to upgrade a defense that ranks 31st in EPA per play.

With Derrick Brown missing most of the season due to an injury, the Panthers' interior defensive line has largely been a non-factor. Starters A’Shawn Robinson and LaBryan Ray have both generated PFF overall grades below 55.0, including pass-rushing grades below 57.0. Getting Brown back will immediately help, but pairing him with a two-way disruptor like Mason Graham would be ferocious.

Edge rusher is another focal area of need, especially given that Jadeveon Clowney (team-leading 30 pressures) is almost 32 and has only one year left on his contract. D.J. Wonnum (14.8% pass-rush win rate) has been a bright spot, but he’s played only 212 snaps — all of which have come over the past four weeks. Abdul Carter is elite in pretty much every department, boasting 77.0-plus PFF grades in pass rushing, run defense and coverage. His 90.3 PFF overall grade ranks sixth among all edge rushers in college football.

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-early-or-2025-nfl-mock-draft 

they had T-Mac as an option much later in the first.  This article does a good job matching team needs vs BPA.  Of course, if you're drafting in the top 10, pretty much every position is an area of need. 

[rayzor]

11 hours ago, Captain Morgan said:

can a mod remove the 23 from this section of the forum? 

No. We can't.

[mrcompletely11]

Jalen Milroe in the top 10?  God lawd

[MHS831]

While I totally understand this conclusion based on the Panther's defense this season, I still think WR is a bigger need than people realize.  Adam Thielen will be about 35--been great--but it is time to start slowing down.  XL will be better, but how much better?  In year 2, we need 800 yards from him or more.  After that, we have Coker-a player I am very high on.  I think he can be a solid #4 WR.  David Moore has been a surprise, but he will be an UFA and 30 in 2025.  Not sure he is a roster spot.  We need 2 WRs, and we need a true #1 if possible.  Free agency is not the place to find WRs, but I imagine we will find one there; most WRs probably do not want to come to Carolina and the Bryce passing attack.  I think there is depth at Edge (through round 2, surprisingly) and DT (through round 3).  For this exercise, they had to choose two.  I think Carter is overrated and I would love to have Graham, but we get Brown back and a first round DT might be overkill.  I think WR is weak in this draft and if you do not grab one early you will miss out.  IMO our biggest needs/areas of concern when regarding available talent have to be Edge and WR.  As much as I like Graham, there are DTs later who are pretty impressive.

Edited December 15, 2024 by MHS831

[Beast_3000]

On 12/15/2024 at 5:45 AM, MHS831 said:

While I totally understand this conclusion based on the Panther's defense this season, I still think WR is a bigger need than people realize.  Adam Thielen will be about 35--been great--but it is time to start slowing down.  XL will be better, but how much better?  In year 2, we need 800 yards from him or more.  After that, we have Coker-a player I am very high on.  I think he can be a solid #4 WR.  David Moore has been a surprise, but he will be an UFA and 30 in 2025.  Not sure he is a roster spot.  We need 2 WRs, and we need a true #1 if possible.  Free agency is not the place to find WRs, but I imagine we will find one there; most WRs probably do not want to come to Carolina and the Bryce passing attack.  I think there is depth at Edge (through round 2, surprisingly) and DT (through round 3).  For this exercise, they had to choose two.  I think Carter is overrated and I would love to have Graham, but we get Brown back and a first round DT might be overkill.  I think WR is weak in this draft and if you do not grab one early you will miss out.  IMO our biggest needs/areas of concern when regarding available talent have to be Edge and WR.  As much as I like Graham, there are DTs later who are pretty impressive.

I completely agree with your take. This draft is deep on the defensive line, in addition certain positions can be filled in free agency. I think I read a report that after QB, left tackle, wide receiver and edge rusher gobble up the salary cap. If that’s the case getting a wideout to pair with Coker and Legette becomes more valuable. T-MAC needs to be bumped up a notch as a result. If Derrick Brown comes back healthy we can get a nice defensive tackle or end in the 2nd or 3rd round. 

[Jay Roosevelt]

I'd be happy with either Abdul Carter, Mason Graham or Tet McMillan in the 1st. Obviously much will depend on free agency.

[mrcompletely11]

3 minutes ago, Jay Roosevelt said:

I'd be happy with either Abdul Carter, Mason Graham or Tet McMillan in the 1st. Obviously much will depend on free agency.

I started coming around on Carter but after really watching him the past few games I am still like fug that as a top 5ish pick.  Too many brian burns vibes and not as big as him

[Jay Roosevelt]

4 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

I started coming around on Carter but after really watching him the past few games I am still like fug that as a top 5ish pick.  Too many brian burns vibes and not as big as him

He is definitely a boom-or-bust pick, IMO. I'd feel a lot safer with Mason Graham, but the ceiling is insanely high with Carter. I'm just not crazy about him if we do back to a 4-3 defense as I'm not sure he can hold the edge at the NFL level. But he certainly profiles as a potentially elite pass rusher.

My ideal scenario is probably Mason Graham in the 1st + Kyle Kennard in the 2nd with another EDGE signed in free agency and another added in the mid-rounds of the draft. But I wouldn't be mad at Carter in the 1st either.

[mrcompletely11]

4 minutes ago, Jay Roosevelt said:

He is definitely a boom-or-bust pick, IMO. I'd feel a lot safer with Mason Graham, but the ceiling is insanely high with Carter. I'm just not crazy about him if we do back to a 4-3 defense as I'm not sure he can hold the edge at the NFL level. But he certainly profiles as a potentially elite pass rusher.

My ideal scenario is probably Mason Graham in the 1st + Kyle Kennard in the 2nd with another EDGE signed in free agency and another added in the mid-rounds of the draft. But I wouldn't be mad at Carter in the 1st either.

I think the key to carter will be his combine measurements/results.  And yeah I think scheme will play a part if we draft him.  At some point I have to assume we will slowly move back to the 4-3 because what we have been doing isnt working and there is no way he fits in that.  We can try and play him like the cowboys do with parsons but I dont think he is that same type of player.  Who knows.  I wouldnt be pissed with carter but its another unnecessary gamble that this fo would be making.