Mel Kiper's take on top 10 pick scenarios

[BHiott]

You are correct about the areas of concern but the problem is I do not see a DT that would make much of an impact in the 1st.Claborne will be gone and more than likely Kirkpatrick will be to0.Take the impact player the draft gives us and address the rest through FA.Just because we need the postion the most does not mean its necessaily there in the draft.

We're still a long way from the draft. Players will shoot up and down the boards as we get closer to that April weekend. Let's just hope that Cam's desire to win has spread to the front office and they actually acquire some solid talent instead of the usual stop-gap players to fill those two glaring holes.

Keep those TEs, keep Chud off another team's sideline and help the defense with B+ talent at CB and DT. With that happening I think it's safe to say the Carolina Panthers are a playoff contender in 2012.

[Lout]

Here is the problem that the FO will face, who will be available at our pick that would make another team wan to trade up?

There is no telling who another team will covet. Who would have thought the Jets would have traded up with us for Darrell Revis at pick #14?

[GotSwag?]

Im a UNC homer but I would rather have Coples as well rather than Still or the other DTs if we had a top 10 pick and "decided" we wanted a DLineman.

Coples is a monster and a guy that can play DT or DE. Not my ideal pick, but if we decided to go DL, Id pick QC.

[LinvilleGorge]

Did hou miss the bowl game? Coples got completely owned. I'm a UNC homer too, but I want no part of Coples in the first half of round one. The only UNC defender I'd even consider in this range is LB Zach Brown and he'd be a big reach too.

Where we're picking, I'm starting to think it's gonna be a DB or we go offense. But, a lot can change after the Combine, pro days, interviews, etc.

Very few were even mentioning Cam Newton as the potential #1 overall pick at this point last year.