Who should we draft with the #1 pick?

[bleys]

So you're saying Steve Smith will be a number three receiver here with AJ at #1 and Gettis/Lafell at #2? I don't know if you've noticed or not, but Smith has not lost a step at all. Over the past two years, he's had terrible QBs throwing to him, and Clausen being a high school QB at that. I'm sorry, but even Andre Johnson would look like he's 40 playing with Clausen. As soon as we can get a good QB here in Carolina, Smitty will explode again.

whether he can be a #1 or not, he needs to be a #3... it's how you replenish a roster and he said himself that is what he would like.. put Smitty in the slot and let Gettis/Green tear it up..

(if we were to draft Green)

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oh, and Orton has been a fine QB over the past few years.. you all let public opinion dictate what you think you know.. I would take Orton in a second if we picked up Green.. we would be fine and able to move on and try to find a QB later.

[MHS831]

As long as he doesn't throw any more punches he can stay with us, but in a seriousness, if he does stick around and we draft Green or Jones then we will be ok. I still don't see Armanti back in carolina.

Agreed. We need a WR regardless. Here are my perceptions of the WRs. Tell me if you agree or could add something:

Green: Polished, good route runner, excellent size speed hands. Con: Will he be able to beat the jam in the NFL?

Jones: Better athlete than Green, but a bit stiff at times and that causes dropped passes. Great size, speed, and athleticism. Good blocker.

It seems Jones is what we already have in Lafell and Gettis. A pure set of hands to throw to on fourth down, a guy with size and speed who can leap and grab balls out of the sky--that is Green more than Jones. The Panthers have NEVER had a WR like that.

[Mr. Scot]

I've shifted. My choice would be DaQuan Bowers.

Pair him with Johnson, sign a strong free agent DT (maybe use a later pick on one too) use Hardy and Brown as pass rush specialists occasionally and I think you see a much improved D-Line.

[Lumps]

Green or Peterson, but I want Green if we don't trade down. Trade smitty for more picks.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

Bowers is so overrated, not to mention DE isn't even close to being a top need. I'd be pretty pissed if we took him.

[MWCarolina]

Bowers might be the reason a team trades up with us, but to me it is between Green and Peterson. We just don't need a DE. I would go with Green because we are going to be more aggressive on offense and will need 4 good WRs. If Smith asks to be traded, we would still need 1. He is everything you look for in a WR. Contrary to popular opinion, he is a high-character kid, according to a friend who knew him in high school.

Why not Fairley? Well, DT is deep in this draft but not exceptional at the top like last year. We can get a solid DT in the 3rd.

honestly, i dont see a team trading up to get Bowers, i think teams will worry about the one year wonder deal. As for Fairley, i wouldnt mind him, but i rather go AJ Green and this may surprise some, but i dont want to trade Smith unless we sign a reciever like Breaston in free agency. i think (if we get Green) he would take pressure off Smith and possibly make him a 2nd reciever, he's got Calvin Johnson like potential.

[Mr ocho nueve]

Bowers is so overrated, not to mention DE isn't even close to being a top need. I'd be pretty pissed if we took him.

I dont think he is very overatted but DE is not what we need to spend on number 1 on.

[Snake]

Cam Newton... Most talented and BPA IMO. No other player has that talent.

[MHS831]

So you're saying Steve Smith will be a number three receiver here with AJ at #1 and Gettis/Lafell at #2? I don't know if you've noticed or not, but Smith has not lost a step at all. Over the past two years, he's had terrible QBs throwing to him, and Clausen being a high school QB at that. I'm sorry, but even Andre Johnson would look like he's 40 playing with Clausen. As soon as we can get a good QB here in Carolina, Smitty will explode again.

Smith has lost a step--he said so. I agree that he has had some bad QBs, but he has not caught as many either. Of course, that is when timing is bad, you don't trust the QB, balls surprise you, etc.

Almost every speed WR who has ever played hits the wall when they are about 31-33. Smith is 32. The ones who stay, find ways to offset the fact that speed is no longer the weapon it once was. But pleeeeze don't tell me SS has not lost a step. He has. He is going through the transition now. Even if he hasn't lost a step (which he has), he is about to. Since WRs usually take time to develop, wouldn't it be nice if we could develop his replacement now?

Smith would be awesome in the slot. He is actually at a disadvantage on the outside--he said that too, and he is very right. I think that is what he wants.

[MWCarolina]

Smith has lost a step--he said so. I agree that he has had some bad QBs, but he has not caught as many either. Of course, that is when timing is bad, you don't trust the QB, balls surprise you, etc.

i dont think he is a 3rd WR, BUT with Green he would be a 2nd reciever and that would also open up Gettis and LaFell.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Rookie WRs rarely kick butt the rookie year, and as of right now, Jimmy is their QB so they really won't do much of anything. DeSean Jackson was pretty good his rookie year, but it took him a second year to show up. He had McNabb/Kolb/Vick. Dez Bryant did indeed look good this year...with Romo/Kitna. If we could trade/sign for a guy like Orton before the Draft (doubtful) then a guy like Green make sense. But you need the QB first, not the WR. A solid QB could make Gettis and LaFell look top notch. Clausen couldn't make Andre Johnson look like a damn thing...and Smitty will be the first to tell you that.

[Matthias]

Smith has lost a step--he said so. I agree that he has had some bad QBs, but he has not caught as many either. Of course, that is when timing is bad, you don't trust the QB, balls surprise you, etc.

Almost every speed WR who has ever played hits the wall when they are about 31-33. Smith is 32. The ones who stay, find ways to offset the fact that speed is no longer the weapon it once was. But pleeeeze don't tell me SS has not lost a step. He has. He is going through the transition now. Even if he hasn't lost a step (which he has), he is about to. Since WRs usually take time to develop, wouldn't it be nice if we could develop his replacement now?

Smith would be awesome in the slot. He is actually at a disadvantage on the outside--he said that too, and he is very right. I think that is what he wants.

I know Smith said he wanted another dependable receiver, but you will have to show me some links about some of this other stuff he's been saying. If Smith truly lost a step, why are teams still putting safeties over to his side? Why are teams still double covering him? Look at his 2008 and 2009 seasons and tell me how many yards he had per catch. He still has speed, along with the ability to break tough tackles.

[MWCarolina]

If we could trade/sign for a guy like Orton before the Draft (doubtful) then a guy like Green make sense. But you need the QB first, not the WR. A solid QB could make Gettis and LaFell look top notch. Clausen couldn't make Andre Johnson look like a damn thing...and Smitty will be the first to tell you that.

trust me, you dont want Orton, i rather gamble on Clausen, than have Orton run the offense, he's just too average for me, he doesnt wow me at all, i know Clausen has sucked, but i dont want to trade a draft pick for Orton. Rather gamble on Vince Young or Cam Newton than go for Orton and that's saying something because i dont expect Newton to have a good rookie year if he starts right away.

[MHS831]

Cam Newton... Most talented and BPA IMO. No other player has that talent.

But do his talents fit the NFL? I am impressed with him as a college athlete. I saw (somewhere) a list of his pros and cons. Going from memory:

Pros: arm strength, size, speed

Cons: work ethic, character concerns, decision-making, football IQ

To me, the successful QBs in the NFL all have a solid work ethic, character and leadership, and they are excellent decision makers. Some successful qbs like Drew Brees for instance, lacks elite speed, arm strength, and size but he is awesome. QBs with all the tools that God gave them but are weak in the tools they need to develop through humility, hard work, and dilligence tend to fail (Russell, Leaf, etc). That is my theory, and I am pretty sure that I am right in most cases.