Matthias Fantastical Mock 2.0

[Matthias]

Most of the things I'm going to talk on here are realistic, while other parts (which most will immediately focus on and talk about) are more of a long shot. So I ask for comments on the whole of the mock draft, and not just responses to the things you don't think will happen.

Head Coach:

David Shaw

He would be the perfect coach to get this team back on track. He preaches a hard-nosed running game, but unlike John Fox, he also preaches a great passing game. He utilizes TEs in his offense, and we have a great one in Greg Olsen. How long have we been whining about having balance between passing the ball and running the ball? We've witnessed the extremes of running the ball, and passing the ball with our past two coaches. With Shaw, we have now found our goldilocks coach. Where playcalling is "just right"! Honestly though, how many offensive minded guys out there exceeds in both passing and running?

Okay, I know it would be extremely difficult to convince Shaw to leave Stanford. Yet we have the kind of talent needed for the recipe of his style of play. (Good up and coming QB, a great RB in Stew and hopefully D-Will can stick around with a restructured contract, and a great TE in Olsen) Carolina would be the golden job, if he has any kind of itch for the NFL. I don't know what kind of money we could offer him, but I have faith that JR is willing to spend this time to get the best here in Carolina. We can hope here.

NFL Draft:

1st Round-

Luke Joeckel

Well, we are going to have a top five pick this year, maybe even a top two. They say the only place you will find great LTs, is within the top 10 picks of the first round. I don't see us being here anytime soon after this season. Had we ran a competent offense this year, we may have been in the playoffs, because we do have talent on this team. So with all that said, Luke is our pick. (Back to back drafts where we pick a guy with the same name as our first pick, also with a unique last name) He's proven he can handle some of the best pass rushers in college on a consistent basis, so he projects well to the pro game. With Luke, we can finally do Gross justice, and let him retire as our RT.

2nd Round

Jonathan Banks

We need some help at corner. I haven't been overly impressed with Josh Norman's development so far, but a lot of that is probably on the coaching. Norman's specialty is man to man coverage, yet Rivera has him playing mostly soft zone coverage. With that said, Norman did come from Coastal Carolina, so it could be he is just outmatched by the talent of this league. Gamble could be traded or released due to his contract, so Banks would be a good pick up here. From the few tape I've seen on him from youtube ^_^ , I haven't been that impressed. He seems to give a lot of ground to his opposing receiver, and is not aggressive enough for a guy his size. Nevertheless, I like his overall statistical resume in his four years at Mississippi State. With the right coaching, he could be molded into a great talent.

3rd Round (trade)

Joseph Fauria

Fauria is a good run blocking TE, who can also catch the ball pretty well. The perfect complement to Greg Olsen.

4th round

Devin Taylor

Devin will probably be the best value pick at this spot. He has a lot of potential, but he hasn't capatalized on it throughout his college career. He made a lot of splash plays, but was never consistent. With the right training, he could become a premier guy.

5th Round

Yep, another South Carolina talent. Swearinger is probably the most hidden talent at safety this year, but the combine will probably change that. His build and appearence will remind a lot of Panther fans of Charles Godfrey, but Swearinger has way more talent and upside than Godfrey ever had. I haven't seen Swearinger's ballhawking skill on a consistent basis and his coverage skills are okay, but he is no doubt a solid defender. A great guy to have on special teams coverage, and is capable of being a great starter.

7th Round

Brad Wing

He didn't follow up his great year in 2011, but he still has a great personality. Bring him in.

[Bwood]

Love Joeckel.

Banks will not even sniff the second round lol.

And not only did we draft a punter last season that hasn't done anything to lose his job, but we don't have a 7th.

[La Pantera]

How'd we get a 3rd comp pick???

[HeatCheck]

Extremely perplexed by the punter selection.

[carolina-chuck]

Banks in the 2nd?

A 3rd compensatory pick? Lol

[JawnyBlaze]

Yea, dunno who we lost that'll give us a 3rd round comp pick. I don't know a lot about Shaw, but from what I've read in various places I wouldn't mind him as our HC. If our O-line continues the trend of the past few games, I wouldn't mind the Joeckel pick at all (though I wouldn't get nearly as excited about it as Star or Hankins). I don't think Banks will be there in the 2nd, most of what I've read has him as the #2 CB in the draft. I also think we can get good value at WR in the 2nd, maybe FS, but I'm thinking our 2nd might be best used on a WR.

[Ruff]

I'm confused by the 3rd comp pick and the 7th punter pick...

[ZackAttack23]

I am really confused by most of this mock draft. Like how we get a 3rd round pick. Compensation for what? Brad Wing in the 7th? Brad Nortman hasn't been all that bad. We need a kicker more than a Punter. Also Swearinger will be gone by 5th round trust me. He is at least a 2nd-3rd round talent.

[Matthias]

I thought we traded away our sixth. So it was actually our seventh that we traded away? That is rare. Jonathan Banks will probably go in the first, but I think he's late first/early second type talent. We should be right there to pick him up if he falls. Someone said some reports have Banks as the number two corner, I actually would rather have Xavier Rhodes. How did we get the third compensatory pick? I feel there will be a lot of guys we will get rid of in the offseason. I'm talking Godfrey, Gamble, perhaps Thomas Davis, Ron Edwards, etc. We should get a compensatory pick between some of those guys. Maybe Godfrey could reel us in a third.

When it comes to wide receiver, there's only a couple of guys that I really like in the draft. Keenan Allen and Justin Hunter. The other guys don't seem like they could make an immediate impact. So I'm in a wait and see mode with them. Maybe after the combine, and after I see Gettis play some games, my mind will change concerning the other wideouts in this draft.

[Ruff]

How did we get the third compensatory pick? I feel there will be a lot of guys we will get rid of in the offseason. I'm talking Godfrey, Gamble, perhaps Thomas Davis, Ron Edwards, etc. We should get a compensatory pick between some of those guys. Maybe Godfrey could reel us in a third.

Compensatory picks don't work like that. The player has to sign with another team, play for a season, and then the comp pick is based on things like how much the player signed for, if we tried to re-sign them, and their production.

So, for example, the only player we'd get a pick for this year is Dan Connor.

[Jackofalltrades]

Shaw isn't my top choice, but he's the only college HC I'm interested in at the moment. Overall I'd be fine with him being the guy.

I don't want to give up on the P we have, outside of two shanks I think his kicks have been very good. You also have to consider that one of those shanks came in Soldier Field...the Windy City. Our cvg unit still missed a lot of tackles, but I think what we have in him.

No WR? For me that's one of our top needs and I agree Banks won't get near the second round. In a pass happy league there are too many teams with secondary issues.

No S? My top three needs are LG, FS and WR- none were addressed.

If the Comp pick comes from current players we wouldn't be compensated until 2013, once they have a chance to determine their value.

[TopCat]

David Shaw is not happening man. I read that Stanford is his dream job and after 2 years he isn't walking away. JR would have to throw everything and the kitchen sink at him to get him, which he won't do.

I like Joeckle in the first and you can't go wrong with guys named Luke so thats good. But I would go receiver in the 2nd. Cam needs more weapons with a aging Smitty.

[La Pantera]

I thought we traded away our sixth. So it was actually our seventh that we traded away? That is rare. Jonathan Banks will probably go in the first, but I think he's late first/early second type talent. We should be right there to pick him up if he falls. Someone said some reports have Banks as the number two corner, I actually would rather have Xavier Rhodes. How did we get the third compensatory pick? I feel there will be a lot of guys we will get rid of in the offseason. I'm talking Godfrey, Gamble, perhaps Thomas Davis, Ron Edwards, etc. We should get a compensatory pick between some of those guys. Maybe Godfrey could reel us in a third.

When it comes to wide receiver, there's only a couple of guys that I really like in the draft. Keenan Allen and Justin Hunter. The other guys don't seem like they could make an immediate impact. So I'm in a wait and see mode with them. Maybe after the combine, and after I see Gettis play some games, my mind will change concerning the other wideouts in this draft.

If any of those guy leave in the offseason we wont see the comp pick this year and only if they leave via FA. And none of the guys you listed are FAs next year.

[Matthias]

Compensatory picks don't work like that. The player has to sign with another team, play for a season, and then the comp pick is based on things like how much the player signed for, if we tried to re-sign them, and their production.

So, for example, the only player we'd get a pick for this year is Dan Connor.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I guess we would have to trade into the third for my pick. Gamble would be good for a late third round pick.