Zod's OFFICIAL first overall pick selection is....

[panthers55]

I see the need, but Newton is one way of addressing that need. I feel that Clausen will improve a lot. So many reasons he played poorly. Watch some film on him from ND-his problems were mental. If he had stayed in school (don't forget he was 21) Clausen would be the #1 QB in this draft.

I am just not ready to dump him yet. Instead of buying a car and trading it in a year later because the weather was bad and it underperformed, lets give it another year in better conditions and a better mechanic and navigator. I mean, many great QBs sucked in year one. Bring in a veteran, but Moore, Clausen, and even Pike need a fair chance. We did not draft chopped liver last season. Ironically, everyone who is saying draft Newton is also saying, "he needs a year or two to develop." I suppose Clausen did not.

If Cam can overcome character concerns, mechanical issues, and cognitive challenges that stiffle the smartest of QBs, then he will be great. However, all three is a lot to ask a kid.

Sign a veteran who can lead our young offense. Let it mature a bit and see what you have in Moore, Clausen and Pike.

Many hall of fame QBs were terrible in year one. I respect your opinion, but I just don't see the accuracy in Newton, 52% completion rate when the chips were on the line against no defense, no wind, and involving no reads? I wish everyone knew how these workouts are Newton's brightest moments. They eliminate areas in which we have concerns. He had the chance to showcase his ability. This was his best.

You just confirm what I have reiterated several times. Most folks who don't want a Qb feel Clausen will improve quite a bit. Those who want a QB feel his ceiling is pretty low. Plus they dread going into the season with Moore, Clausen and Pike. We saw those lowlights already.

Plus they don't have the concerns you do. Newton by all accounts has no cognitive issues, has greatly improved his mechanics and has been a model citizen since having character issues earlier.

Oh and the 52% completion rate red herring is a ridiculous argument you should be embarrassed to put forward. If you understand football as you profess, you won't even put forward such a lame argument. He was throwing to a spot as noted by the cone not a receiver. I guess you missed the 20 times they explained it and the 15 analyses that pointed that out.

Your dislike is obvious but those kind of arguments do you no favors. They put your understanding into question not his performance.

[teeray]

52% completion rate when the chips were on the line against no defense, no wind, and involving no reads?.

Completion percentage is literally the least important thing at the combine or pro day.

I understand he air mailed a couple of outs. But that has everything to do wit footwork. He has shown a terrific work ethic and a desire to improve so I see no reason he will not improve on his 5 step drops.

But other than those passes he id pretty doggone well; he had a drop, a receiver fall down, 3 really good go routes that were incomplete, a pretty good corner route that ended up incomplete. He really had 17-18 really good throws and only 3-4 not so good ones.

But I admit it doesn't help your cause when you throw your outs into the third row :lol:

[Zcustom]

I dunno, I heard his radio interview last night and he not only said he was the best player in the draft but he also referred to himself in the third person.

We shouldn't draft someone with those kinds of character concerns :arf:

[Zod]

We won't pick up Peterson for 3 reasons:

If we go defense rather than offense then the opposing team will score 20 points a game instead of 24 like last year. Since our offense will improve to 14 points a game we will still lose a bunch of games.

The problem here is that you seem to have forgotten we have a completely new offensive staff and scheme. Having an NFL caliber offensive staff will do more for us than any draft class can do. Throw in the return of Otah, moving Schwartz to guard and you have an instant run game improvement. I also suspect the playing time Lafell and Gettis got last season is going to pay huge dividends this year, they truly are no longer rooks.

[monstercat]

I could live with drafting PP, but I'm still very very worried about the offense, because that fantasy trade with Cincy for Palmer (and another draft pick, apparently) is just not happening.

[Carolina Husker]

Um, drafting a project QB is less likely to make us better next year.

You truly think Clausen is a better option than either Gabbert or Newton?

[janderson20vt]

Can Peterson play DT? I don't think so.

[Millions]

To many question marks on our offense to address and already damn good defense. Peterson is going to be a beast though along with AJ Green honestly don't care about the CB/WR going number 1 bs it's all about team needs for me.

[blackcatgrowl]

Wow... you're getting on the CB with the 1st pick train? I thought better of you Zod. I guess that was wrong of me.

Again, IF we do pull in Peterson with the #1 overall, I'm going to start a campaign to fire Marty Hurney the likes of which you will never heard or seen before.

This is no reflection on Peterson as a player. He's good. But there are just some positions you don't waste a #1 overall pick on. CB is only a few notches below K on that list.

[panthers55]

The problem here is that you seem to have forgotten we have a completely new offensive staff and scheme. Having an NFL caliber offensive staff will do more for us than any draft class can do. Throw in the return of Otah, moving Schwartz to guard and you have an instant run game improvement. I also suspect the playing time Lafell and Gettis got last season is going to pay huge dividends this year, they truly are no longer rooks.

I surely hope you are right. But without a Qb who can execute the offense it doesn't matter what system you put in place. Even when the run game improved last year the lack of a downfield passing attack keep 8 or 9 in the box all day. Also note that over 60% of Williams and Stewart yards in 2009 came after contact not before meaning they did a lot of it on their own. The line sometime gets too much credit honestly for what our running backs do with the help of the TEs and receivers. What helps the most is having safeties play deep so once they hit the second level they can take it down the field.

I am generally happy with the potential of the offense with the exception of quarterback. I want to fix it by all means possible which means get a vet in FA if possible and draft a guy in the first round. There are good DTs and corners available with our 2 third round picks this year but no Qb I would take after the first round.

[MrBubba]

I lean more and more toward Peterson if we keep the pick. He appears to be the best player in the draft. Screw all the history about corners and top picks; history has to be made sometime. Panthers play in a division with three franchise QBs. Pick Peterson line him up with Gamble and Let Beason do his thing against the run. Play great D, keep strong running game, find caretaker QB and be the Jets of the NFC.

[Mr. Scot]

The problem here is that you seem to have forgotten we have a completely new offensive staff and scheme. Having an NFL caliber offensive staff will do more for us than any draft class can do. Throw in the return of Otah, moving Schwartz to guard and you have an instant run game improvement. I also suspect the playing time Lafell and Gettis got last season is going to pay huge dividends this year, they truly are no longer rooks.

Everybody keeps assuming that just because the offense sucked last year under Fox and Davidson, it'll suck this year under Rivera and Chudzinski too. Bad assumption.

Also true that if there's a season, we will get free agents (though it may be down the road) so we can't go in thinking that draft picks will be the only additions. Heck, we can't even sign the draft picks with no CBA.

As to the draft, Peterson works for me, but I'm primarily pro-Dareus at the moment.

[AceMan]

Zod has finally come to his senses, I see

[OneBadassCat]

Gamble and Peterson would be a sick combo. Potentially the leagues best tandem?