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Ruff's 2014 Mock Offseason and Draft

Ruff

By Ruff,
in Carolina Panthers

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Ace_Aladdin Newbie

Ace_Aladdin

Posted
Posted

So, now that the season is done, I think it’s time we start looking forward to Free Agency and then, of course, to the Draft. This year’s Draft interests me even more than Drafts in previous years because a) we’re a relevant team again only missing a few pieces and B) this Draft is stocked with talent. From WR, to OL, to TE, to QB, to CB, etc, etc., this Draft is the first one in ages that you can look at from afar and see immediate impact players even into the 3rd and 4th rounds.

With that being said, let me breakdown where I believe our weakest positions are.

 

Most needed - OL/WR

Problem Areas - CB

Secondary Help Areas - TE/RB/QB

 

I’ll explain each choice when I (try to) fill those needs. So, without further ado, my first Draft and offseason mock of the season.

 

 

OFFSEASON/FREE AGENCY

 

 

Release/Do Not Re-sign/Fire

 

Mike Shula

Greg Hardy

Brandon LaFell

Ted Ginn

Derek Anderson

Richie Brockel

Charles Godfrey - (automatic 5.1mil in savings on the cap)

Domenik Hixon

 

Hire

 

Bill Lazor - I know that Rivera and Lazor have no real connections, but Lazor is the hottest name in the Offensive Coordinator realm right now. As of right now, he’s partially responsible for turning Nick Foles into what he became this season, a hyper accurate spread QB. I think he can work with Cam (and the future QBs) into fine tuning this offense to something that resembles a present day NFL offense, while still utilizing the pieces that we have.

 

Re-sign

 

Travelle Wharton - vet minimum

Jordan Gross - (If he doesn’t retire)

Mike Mitchell

Chris Scott

Ben Hartsock - vet minimum

Jeff Byers

Graham Gano (similar to Matt Prater’s contract)

Jordan Senn

Captain Munnerlyn - (1 yr deal, let’s see how he fits onto the team after this next season)

Colin Cole - vet minimum

Quintin Mikell - vet minimum

Drayton Florence - vet minimum

 

Sign

 

Michael Oher - That’s right, I said it. It’s going to cost, but I think it’s going to be worth it in the end. Oher had his best seasons as a tackle under Matsko’s tutelage, and he’s shown that he can handle both sides of the offensive line. Do I think he’ll demand more than he’s worth? Yes. (Thanks Hollywood) But, he can immediately come in and give us a Pro Bowl caliber starter that can dominate both phases of the run and pass game. I have a feeling that Oher will demand somewhere in the neighborhood of 11m a year. Something like 5yr/55-60mil would be about right. I see the situation being something similar to moving Gross to the right side to prolong his career and putting Oher on the blindside (get it?).

 

Riley Cooper - Another guy that I think will demand a tad more than he should bring because of this past season that he had. But, I think Lazor could convince him of what he’s planning on doing and bring him to Carolina for a quality #2 receiver that gives Cam a legitimate option down the field and also in the red zone. Riley would demand about the 5mil that we would save from releasing Godfrey. He’s also incredibly young. At 26, he still has a lot of time left on him, so we could lock him up for the future.

 

Geoff Schwartz - Bring the man home. After having an incredible year in Kansas City that has revitalized his career, bring Schwartz back home for a fair sum. If anything, this gives us an immediate upgrade to the RG position, paired beside of Gross. I don’t think he’ll be expensive, even after the amazing season he just had, and would be well worth the investment for the future (he’s still relatively young at 27 years old).

 

 

THE DRAFT

 

 

Welcome to the 2014 NFL Draft. Thank you for sticking with me thus far. Now, let me begin.

 

FIRST ROUND - 28th PICK

Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State - So, you probably expected to see Jordan Matthews here, didn’t you? I really, really like Jordan Matthews. I think he is going to end up with astronomical numbers… paired with the right QB. Matthews is a guy who needs accurate passes down the field, as well as in the flats, and that’s just not Cam.

 

Instead, I think a guy like Allen Robinson fits the mold better of what Cam needs. Robinson is a big guy, strong, physical, and has enough on him to get even bigger. He’s not going to blaze past you with speed. Instead, he’s going to find ways to get open in the middle of the field, or come back to the ball, and catch the ball at the point of attack. He will be Cam’s jump ball guy in the new offense, a target who will be extremely dangerous in the red zone. He’s going to end up running around a 4.5x 40yd, so he’s not a blazer (in this scenario/mock, he is going to be the complement to Riley Cooper) but he has strong hands and a strong body to block out defenders.

 

His biggest comparison in the NFL? Anquan Boldin. Think about that.

 

SECOND ROUND

James Hurst, OT, UNC - With the recent comments by Gross, saying that he doesn’t know what his future holds, it’s very possible that Gross doesn’t return next season. If he does, it will be on his last legs. In this mock, I have us picking up Oher to start on the offensive line, and Gross returning, but only for a season. That’s where Hurst comes in.

 

James Hurst is a future dominant OT, who had experienced an unfortunate injury in UNC’s bowl game. Breaking his leg is going to set him back some, but not a lot. There is no ligament damage to the knee/ankle/foot, so rebuilding that won’t be an issue. Just letting a broken leg heal will be the thing that matters most.

 

On the field, Hurst is a monster. He can dominate almost anyone on an island, including Clowney. He does have issues with his footwork, and sometimes he seems to take the wrong angle, which leaves the QB in a bad situation. But, thankfully, these are things that can be coached out of him. And learning behind Gross and Oher? He could become great.

 

THIRD ROUND

Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, NEBRASKA - SJ-B is a name I don’t see many people around here throwing around, but it makes too much sense. He’s a large, physical corner (6’1 / 220lbs) that jams the ever-living-poo out of receivers off the line. He’s large enough to handle even the most physically dominant receivers and TEs, and he would match up perfectly against a team like New Orleans.

 

He’s not incredibly fast, and he doesn’t do well in a zone cover type system. He is exactly what he sounds like. A jam-shove receiver who is going to dominate a receiver on an island for the entirety of the game. I think, on our team, he’s an immediate number 1 CB.

 

FOURTH ROUND

Michael Jansen, TE, Fresno State - Michael Jansen is an interesting prospect (and he is just that: a prospect). He didn’t get a chance to play much in the spread attack of Fresno State this past season, but he showed incredible promise in 2012. He’s physical, he controls the line of scrimmage, and he dominates special teams (has 4 blocked kicks in his career). His hands are massive (around a 10) and could easily jump up and snag balls in the red zone. Basically, he is a less-raw version of Brandon Williams, who is a tad slower and a much better blocker.

 

FIFTH ROUND

Josh Huff, WR, Oregon - Josh Huff is the replacement for Ted Ginn at a much lower price point. He’s fast, he’s vertical, and he would be the guy who immediately takes over at kick returns and punt returns. His hands are questionable at best (again, see: Ted Ginn) but he is so damn fast. Also, his screen game is phenomenal, and I could see Lazor using him as DeSean Jackson is used in that offense.

 

SEVENTH ROUND - From NYG

Garrett Gilbert, QB, SMU - Drafting a QB does two things for us, 1) it allows us to begin grooming a new player in case (worst case scenario) something happens to Cam and 2) it gives us a chance to put leverage on Cam during contract negotiations so he doesn’t soak up all of the cap space.

 

Gilbert was a 5 star high school recruit who can run the spread like no other QB can. He’s fast, he’s big (6’3, 220), and he can make almost every throw. I don’t think he’s ever taken a snap from under center, though, and that’s worrisome, but in Lazor’s offense, I don’t know if he will have to. Just watch some of his highlights, and you can see why he could be a steal in the Draft.

 

SEVENTH ROUND

Isiah Crowell, RB, Alabama State - I don’t know about this one. On one hand, Crowell could very well be the best running back in this Draft, and by a wide margin. On the other hand, the guy had multiple weapons charges filed against him, even though they were later dropped. If you haven’t seen Crowell play, please, go watch it. It’s amazing. He’s DWill 2.0. But, he comes with a major risk factor.

 

The only reason I think he slips down this low is because of recent troubled players (like Rogers) dropping completely out of the Draft. So, he will likely be there… But, do we take the risk?

 

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART

 

QB: Cam/Gilbert[r]

RB: DWill/Crowell[r]/Barner/Stewart- (while I don't see us cutting JStew, I could easily see us phasing him out or IR'ing him)

FB/Hybrid: Tolbert/Hartsock

WR1: Allen Robinson[r]

WR2: Riley Cooper*

WR3: (Slot): Smitty

WR4: Huff[r]

WR5: King

LT: Oher*/Hurst[r]

LG: Amini/Schwartz*/Kugbila

C: Kalil/Byers

RG: Schwartz/Kugbila

RT: Gross/Oher*

TE1: Olsen

TE2: Hartsock

TE3: Jansen[r]

 

-

 

LDE: Johnson/Horton

DT: Star/Cole

DT: Short/Edwards

RDE: Addison/Alexander

SAM: Davis/Senn

MIKE: Kuechly/

WILL: Klein/Blackburn

CB1: Stanley Jean-Baptiste[r]/Florence

CB2: White/Captain

NB: Captain

SS: Mikell/Lester

FS: Mitchell/Jones

 

K: Gano

P: Nortman

LS: JJ

 

KR: Huff[r]/Barner

PR: Huff[r]

 

 

Disagree with getting Oher for LT he is old and we can get a younger and better OL that we need to build for the future.

 

 

my mock draft depending on prospecting falling to us.

 

 

1st round/  LT/RT- Antonio Richardson -Tennessee - 6'-6" 327lbs

                 

                  RG/LG-Gabe Jackson         - Mississippi State - 6-'3" 335lbs

                 

                  LT/RT-  Cyrus Kouandjio    -  Alabama - 6'-6" 320lbs

                 

                  LT/RT-Greg Robinson        - Auburn - 6'-5"  320lbs

               

                  RG/LG-Cyril Richardson     - Baylor -  6'-5" 340lbs 

 

2nd round/  WR- Kelvin Benjamin  - Florida State - 6'-5" 235lbs

                 

                   WR- Allen Robinson - Penn State - 6'-3" 210lbs

                 

                   WR- Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - 6'3" 205lbs

                   

                   WR- Odell Beckham -  LSU  - 5'-11" 193lbs

               

                   TE-   Austin-Seferian-Jenkins- Washington - 6'-6" 276lbs

                 

                   TE- Troy Niklas- Notre Dame- 6'-6" 270lbs

 

3rd round / RT- Seantrel Henderson - Miami - 6'-7" 345lbs

                 

                  RT- Jawuan James - Tennessee- 6'-6" 318lbs

                 

                 RG- Jon Halapio - Florida - 6-'3" 320lbs

               

                 CB- Keith McGill - Utah - 6'-2" 205lbs

 

                 CB- Louchiez Purifoy - Florida- 6'-0"  190lbs

 

4th round/ WR- Brandon Coleman - Rutgers- 6'-5"  220lbs

               

                  WR- Jeff Janis - Saignaw Valley - 6'-3" 218lbs

                 

                  TE-  Arthur Lynch -  Georgia -  6'-5" 254lbs

                 

                  TE-  Marcel Jensen - Fresno State -  6'-5" 270lbs

 

5th round/ CB - Deion Belue - Alabama - 5'-11" 183lbs

                  

                 CB- Ross Cockrell- Duke - 6'-0" 190lbs

 

                 DE- Ben Gardner - Standford - 6'-4" 277lbs

 

                 RB- Ladarius Perkins - Mississippi State - 5'-10" 190lbs

 

6th round/ WR- Devin Street- Pittsburgh - 6'-3" 190lbs

                  

                 WR- L'Damian Washington - Missouri - 6'-4" 205 lbs

 

                 RG- Ryan Groy - Wisconsin - 6'-5" 320lbs

 

                 TE - Crockett Gillmore -  Colorado State - 6'-6" 255lbs

 

7th round/ C- Dillon Day - Mississippi State - 6'-4" 300lbs

                 

                  C- Jonotthan Harrison - Florida - 6'-3" 320lbs

 

                  OLB- Derrell Johnson - East Carolina - 6'-2" 264lbs

 

                  QB- Connar Shaw - South Carolina - 6'-1" 209lbs

 

                   

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