The Sporting News Panther Draft needs

[Razeyfingers]

I dont think the NFL can really lose me as a fan. I watch pro Football because it is the pinnacle of athleticism and I happen to think its one of the better ways to test that along with strategy and team sport dynamics. Too bad they dont have guys like Kasperov drawing up plays and game plans.

So yeah, Im one of those guys who doesnt even have college football to look forward to. Cant go back to baseball, cant really go back to the nba. Hmm what else is there?. . .GOT IT! . . . FENCING!

EDIT:. . . anyone want to invest in team fencing? we'll make millions. . .I mean uhm Billions

[frash.exe]

when it comes to defensive players there's limited gain. we should know, we've got Beason and no matter how good he can be if the playcalling isn't good enough, the scheme is hackneyed no amount of talent can save your ass, even if they're amazingly productive.

to ignore the fact that we've got a defensive mastermind (that was, btw, far and beyond a better DC than fox ever was) and think the defense which is pretty talented to begin with needs no.1 pick improvement just because we are skeptical of QB prospects just like every single year every QB prospect is dragged through the mud.

BPGA = Best potential gain available and since we've got a defense ranked average to begin with and the worst offense in the league, specifically the passing game, unless our QB coach cannot teach proper technique or both Gabbert and Newton show you flaws that can't be fixed you go with one of the QBs.

[grateflday]

......I dont remember any of our first rounders ever being questionable under Hurney so how is it possible that we will pick one like that now. Pep, Beason, Otah, Stew, D'lo, Gross, and Gamble never had question marks. I recall them all being "safe bets". The only pick I remember being questionable was Davis and the pick was still money in the end.

AND the Panthers STILL do not have a QB...... .one could have been gotten I am sure in one of those drafts via first round instead of the ones you mentioned. And if so this franchise would not have been in such dissarray at that position when Jake started going bad. I would take a top notch, starting QB right now over Otah, Stew, Gross or Gamble. I wonder what QB's the Panthers passed on in the 1st round those seasons?? :confused:

Bottom line is if Hurney, Rivera, etc think Cam or even Gabbert can be a franchise QB they are and have to pick one, even if the development might take a season or two.

[Jackofalltrades]

Hurney thought and may still think Clausen can be the franchise QB, so why bail after one terrible season by everyone involved?

[chknwing]

My Mock

Trade with San Fran Picking up their #7, their 2nd and #11 in Rd 4

1.7 Patrick Peterson CB

2.13 (From San Fran) Corey Liuget DT

3.1 Colin Kaepernick QB

3.33 (Compensatory) Terrell McClain DT

4.1 James Carpenter OT

4.11 (From San Fran)Vincent Brown WR

5.1 Julius Thomas TE

6.1 Cliff Matthews DT

6.38 (Compensatory) BPA

7.43 (Compensatory) BPA

[Catalyst]

Yeah, you could...

Or you could reach for a QB that clearly isn't worth the number 1 pick.

Matt Ryan "clearly" wasn't worth the #1 pick in 2008.

Aaron Rodgers "clearly" wasn't worth the #1 pick in 2005.

Ben Roethlisberger "clearly" wasn't worth the #1 pick in 2004.

...

Who is or isn't "worth" the 1st overall pick isn't known and won't be for another year or two. QB's are scouted heavier and have more risk and a high profile attached to them. I guarantee you, if Marcell Dareus or Patrick Peterson had been scouted as heavily and subjected to all the double standards that most top QB prospects are, they'd suddenly "develop" a lot more question marks about their game.

Every other position on our team could be manned by a Pro Bowler and we'd still be a 9-7 team at BEST without fixing the QB position long-term. QB's win championships in this league nowadays. It's not 1975 anymore. The steel curtain is a myth these days.

[chef17]

Some say the Panthers have been too trade-happy, but G.M. Marty Hurney prefers to be too bold rather than too safe on draft day

Never saw Hurney and bold in the same sentence before.

[unicar15]

I think Mike Mayock knows what he is talking about and he sees Gabbert as the best QB in the draft. He also compared Gabbert's workout to Sam Bradford the year before. IMO Gabbert's game, even if he is from a primarily shotgun offense, translates better to the NFL for one important reason: He doesn't have the ability to get out of the pocket and scramble.

I'm also not content AT ALL to spend the #1 overall pick on a defender when our problems are CLEARLY on the offensive side. QB is the key to winning and if a guy has the tools and has his head on straight (which Gabbert does) then you draft him and teach him to play the position.

He is not Alex Smith. He's not JP Losman?? He's not Ryan Leaf. From everything that I have read the kid is smart and I haven't seen anything to suggest he is unreliable. Well maybe he's like Alex Smith..Smith was publicized as a golden boy, right? Alex Smith didn't have nearly the physical tools that Gabbert has. Smith has 8'' hands, while Gabbet has 10'' hands. Gabbert is 6'5'' 235, while Smith is 6'4'' 217.

Gabbert is the best player to take at #1 because he has the best combination of

1) Position of need

2) Position of IMPORTANCE

3) Prototypical size and strength

4) Intelligence - 42 on wonderlic

5) Leadership ability

6) INABILITY to rely on his athleticism at the QB position.

Some would say that #6 is stupid but having to compensate for not being able to run away from everyone makes you a better QB. Michael Vick is the exception, not the rule and you can't draft Cam Newton expecting him to be like Mike Vick when it took Vick what...8 years to even be a good QB?? Sorry I don't want to wait 5 years for Cam Newton to realize he has to throw the ball and read defenses and he can't just run from everyone.

Gabbert needs to be the pick...

[Catalyst]

The future great NFL QB's are the ones who can avoid pressure and buy time. Defenses are blitzing more and the QB's who can make defenders miss, reverse field, back-track, and find the open man on the move are the ones who are going to succeed in the new NFL.

Aaron Rodgers & Ben Roethlisberger have this in common. They also have something else in common... can't quite recall... oh yeah, they both played in the f**king SUPER BOWL!

Gabbert is a statue. He turns to poo when under pressure. Newton does not. He's got that ability to buy time, which is CRUCIAL in today's NFL. You don't have to be Manning or Brady as a passer if you can make a defense pay for sending 2-3 guys on a blitz by making them miss and finding the mis-match that blitzing always leaves open.

[firstdayfan]

Yeah, you could...

Or you could reach for a QB that clearly isn't worth the number 1 pick.

Um...drafting a DT number 1 overall, who isn't considered by anyone as the best player, simply bc he is a need isn't considered reaching???

[Catalyst]

Don't bother. JoAT is just afraid to take a risk on a QB and would rather start Clausen for the next 20 years.

[JawnyBlaze]

Um...drafting a DT number 1 overall, who isn't considered by anyone as the best player, simply bc he is a need isn't considered reaching???

Actually he is at the top of at least 1 draft board:

SCOUTS INC.'S TOP 32

1. Marcell Dareus* DT Alabama 97

2. Von Miller OLB Texas A&M 97

3. Patrick Peterson* CB LSU 97

4. Da'Quan Bowers* DE Clemson 97

5. A.J. Green* WR Georgia 97

Same ratings, but they put Dareus at #1.

[pantherclaw]

Don't bother. JoAT is just afraid to take a risk on a QB and would rather start Clausen for the next 20 years.

QTI=quoting this ignorance.

Nobody wants clausen to even be the starter this year.

Just most fans will accept that qb isn't going to improve our offense this year...not any rookie qb anyways.

But don't let me stop ya from talking out your ass. It's clear you put effort into it to make it art.

[DaCityKats]

QTI=quoting this ignorance.

Nobody wants clausen to even be the starter this year.

Just most fans will accept that qb isn't going to improve our offense this year...not any rookie qb anyways.

But don't let me stop ya from talking out your ass. It's clear you put effort into it to make it art.

but qb will improve this offense this year. look what it did to the rams. a rookie qb can be successful if coached up.