CBSSports.com's Panthers Draft Spotlight

[El Chingon]

The Panthers returned to the playoffs last season and have a roster stocked with current or future stars. But that doesn't mean they aren't without holes and cap issues doesn't make the situation any easier, which makes this draft class all that more important for GM Dave Gettleman.

The two main need areas for Carolina entering the 2014 NFL Draft is clearly at left tackle and wide receiver, two vital areas that Pro Bowl quarterback Cam Newton is watching with great interest. Jordan Gross retired during the off-season, leaving a glaring hole protecting the blind side and the wide receiver position is full of new faces. In fact, the wideouts currently on the team's roster have combined for zero catches in a Panthers' uniform.

Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn are out. Jason Avant, Jericho Cotchery and several other young unprovens are expected to pick up the slack. A rookie wide receiver will add another unproven commodity to the roster, but a young target to develop with Newton should be a priority in the early rounds.

The Panthers have had excellent success hitting on their 1st round picks in recent years (Lotulelei, Kuechly, Newton), but those three were all top-15 selections and this year will be a tougher task with the 28th pick. We'll see if Gettleman and his staff are up to the challenge.

Carolina Panthers' 2014 draft picks: 28, 60, 92, 128, 168, 204, 225

Primary Needs: OT, WR, CB, TE, DE

General Manager: Dave Gettleman, 2nd season
Head Coach: Ron Rivera, 4th season

Five draft picks that clicked:
- DT Star Lotulelei, 14th overall, 2013
- MLB Luke Kuechly, 9th overall, 2012
- QB Cam Newton, 1st overall, 2011
- DE Greg Hardy, 175th overall, 2010
- CB Captain Munnerlyn, 216th overall, 2009

Five players who should be on the Carolina Panthers' draft radar:

(overall rating, position rating)

OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama (36, 5): There is a good chance the Panthers starting left tackle this season isn't currently on the roster, making their 1st round pick a likely spot to fill that glaring need. And if Kouandjio is still on the board, he will create an interesting discussion in the Carolina war room because he has the talent to warrant the selection, but whether or not they draft the former Alabama tackle comes down to how comfortable they are with his durability. Kouandjio was dinged at the NFL Combine because of past injuries, most notably a knee issue, but opinions seem to be mixed on the severity of the injury. So while the durability could be worrisome, it could also be a blessing in disguise that allows Kouandjio to fall to the Panthers pick.

DE Scott Crichton, Oregon State (44, 4): The Panthers have one of the top pass rushing tandems in the league, but Greg Hardy doesn't have a long-term contract and Charles Johnson's lucrative deal could prove to be prohibitive. Carolina should consider Crichton in the 1st round, but if he is still available in the 2nd round, they shouldn't hesitate from running the pick to the podium. He is powerful with the first step quickness and relentless motor to find a way to be disruptive and force the issue. Crichton isn't the most fluid, but wins with his initial momentum and unyielding effort and would give the Panthers another talented pass rusher and insurance policy if they lose Hardy or Johnson.

WR Cody Latimer, Indiana (96, 15): One of the fastest “risers” in this year's draft class is Latimer who intrigues NFL teams due to his athletic potential and very high ceiling. And it's becoming clear that he won't last long on draft day, but he might be around in the 2nd round. Despite limited experience on the football field (grew up playing basketball), Latimer is a quick study and should be able to contribute immediately and it won't take long for him and Cam Newton to develop a chemistry. His route running is a work-in-progress, but he shows outstanding ballskills with the athletic prowess to be a threat at every level of the field.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24526259/nfl-draft-carolina-panthers-spotlight

TE Arthur Lynch, Georgia (128, 6): With the Panthers expected to operate out of more two-tight end sets in 2014, they recently signed Ed Dickson to pair with incumbent starter Greg Olsen. But Dickson's deal is only one year and using a mid-round pick on Lynch would add instant depth and a long-term option. He has a NFL frame with experience lining up both inline and in the slot in Georgia's pro-style attack. Lynch likely won't separate easily in the NFL, but he's a coordinated athlete who isn't shy about getting his hands dirty as a blocker and projects as a reliable possession target and No. 2 TE on the depth chart.

CB Andre Hal, Vanderbilt (222, 28): Carolina has had luck in the past with late round or undrafted free agent cornerbacks, like Captain Munnerlyn who was a 7th round pick in 2009. But Munnerlyn was signed away by the Minnesota Vikings this past off-season and the Panthers need to add depth in the secondary. Hal lacks imposing size or length, like Munnerlyn, but it's easy to appreciate his aggressive, competitive nature when the ball is in the air, showing very good sideline and field awareness. He likely lacks the physical traits to be a consistent NFL starter, but his tough, confident approach to the game would be a welcome addition on the bottom third of the Carolina roster.

[Gabeking]

Thanks for the link

Edit: nvm it looks like you like to hide your links

[El Chingon]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24526259/nfl-draft-carolina-panthers-spotlight

[Jackofalltrades]

Can't post entire articles, only snippets.

[MCC]

DO NOT DRAFT LYNCH PLZ

[tiger7_88]

So the highest rated player they "recommend" for us is 36th on their own board.

 

And they expect us to use the 28th pick on him?

 

Or the 60th?

 

Doesn't make a lick of sense.

[stirs]

I notice that most of the guys doing the mocks pay attention to about half the teams only, the Panthers not being one of them.

 

Some go as far as to say, "not sure what to do with this guy" and give him to the Panthers.  They think a lot about the Pats, Niners, and Jets, but no so much about the Panthers

[nagai]

So the highest rated player they "recommend" for us is 36th on their own board.

 

And they expect us to use the 28th pick on him?

 

Or the 60th?

 

Doesn't make a lick of sense.

 

Most analysts don't know that Gettleman favours BPA. This is why I don't take a lot of these projections seriously -- they literally just try and match needs with their boards, without any considerations for scheme or drafting philosophy.

 

[gettlemanjack]

I wouldn't be surprised if we take Kouandjio at 28. He's hard to project because he has great physical traits but still needs coaching up...after getting coached at Bama at all places

if you want to hear something that doesn't make any sense, I just read a mock that came out today that had us taking OG Cyril Richardson at 28 instead of Su'a-Filo. It had Zach Martin gone at 20, Lewan gone at 19, Kouandjio gone at 15, Robinson gone at 12 and Matthews gone at 2

about Kouandjio they wrote:

15. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama - The Steelers need to protect Big Ben's blind side and the only way they are going to find a guy capable of doing that is by taking him in the first round. Kouandjio fits the bill and would be a great pick-up for the Steelers line. In addition to his pass blocking, his run blocking should be a big help to Bell in his sophomore season.

[CarolinaCoolin]

Kouandjio is not worth a first round selection.

Yes he is. Get out of here with that bullshit

[tiger7_88]

Yes he is. Get out of here with that bullshit

 

 

So Pavlovian. :lol:

[CarolinaCoolin]

So Pavlovian. :lol:

Yeah not really

[CarolinaCoolin]

Why the hell would we waste our first round pick on a RT who might not be in the league 6 years from now because of his surgically damaged knee?

Too risky, no thanks. I don't want another Otah situation.

Yeah this whole post shows your ignorance of the situation. Do some independent research on the subject before you speak on it because it sounds like you only read reports immediately after the combine and nothing more.

[CarolinaCoolin]

You keep bringing up 'ignorance' as your foundation but the fact remains Kouandjio's stock has plummeted because left knee is potentially shot, and he isn't fluid and quick enough to handle speed rushers at the next level. The tape doesn't lie. For example, Oklahoma's Striker (solid starter) and Auburn's Ford (Top 5 at his position) beat him like a bongo drum repeatedly.

Independent research? Kouandjio has an arthritic knee dating back to his 2011 injury. Dr. Andrews says his knee is fine now but arthritic knees don't just vanish or 'clear up'. How about you do some independent research of your own? I could care less what Dr. Andrews says. This is the doctor that declared RG3 ready and healthy for the 2013 season and then backtracked on his claims once RG3 began to struggle.

Except his stock has actually risen given that many scouts and analysts realized the after combine reports were completely over blown.

Most scouts think he has the athleticism to handle speed rushers just find and good job picking out one guy on a game he admittedly didn't have a great showing in. If you ACTUALLY look at the tape for the whole season you would see he got progressively more dominant as the season went on.

Provide some links showing his arthritic knee issues. Because the reports were stemming from a "failed surgery" which was proven false and can easily be seen in the fact since his surgery his freshman year he didn't miss a single practice or game for the next two seasons straight.

Your ignorance shows when you try to easily dismiss the most well respected doctor in the field in Andrews trying to cite rg3 as an example when it's clearly documented he was vocal in saying he wasn't actually ready and needed time. But you don't really care about facts just silly little narratives you tell yourself to make you see like some all knowing scout