By Carrington Caul
Carolina Panthers (Record:2-14) (Playoff Appearance: No Playoff Appearance)
As I write this article I try not to be biased to the fact that this is a team that I heavily support. With that being said except for a few questionable moves I feel like the Panthers had a solid draft, they picked players in their area of need that they think that can come in and contribute and be key players to what they want to do in the future, and that’s all that you can ask for.
1)Cam Newton (QB, Auburn)
I think we all knew coming down to the last few days and even weeks of the draft that the Panthers were settling in on picking Newton with the overall pick of the draft. The pick is understandable I can see that, Newton will be the face of the franchise, a large face on a new youth movement, the money he can bring besides ticket sales, all that is understandable and at the end of the day you have to realize that this is a business and it goes beyond what happens on the field week in and out. But when it comes to Newton on the field you have to ask is this the best pick and obviously they think so because they selected him. We all know that Newton is athletic, fast, strong armed and an offensive monster when he has the ball in his hands. What we don’t know is can he learn how to read the defenses and make the reads like Brady & Manning, can he improve his footwork so that when he throws he’s using the right mechanics. This is what we are all waiting for, and honestly if Cam WILL work as hard as he’s be known to I have NO doubt that he will be good in this league (Personal Grade: B+)
2)Terrell McClain (DT, University of South Florida)
This is a pick that will go under the radar with most people but he will be an impact with the Panthers immediately, he takes up a lot of space which will allow a lot of one on one’s for the LB’s that Coach Rivera said he wanted. He will plug the whole and give a lot of help to a run defense that was ranked 23rd last season. This pick will also help the D-line rotation they will use to help keep some of the bodies fresh and effective especially against a conference that can pass and run. (Personal Grade: B-)
3)Sione Fua (DT, Stanford)
Fua will be one of the rotational players for that defensive line that needed a boost, he can be a solid player and has great talent but he lacks that burst to really be effective against the upper echelon offensive lineman. But everything that’s wrong with him is correctable, first he needs to condition and get into better shape. He takes plays off when he should be on the field, also a good coach that can help him with his bust off the line and the usage of hands. He has the potential to be a solid starter on this team with a little work (Personal Grade: C)
4)Brandon Hogan (CB, WVU)
This could possibly be the biggest sleeper of the draft, yes Hogan has some off the field issues, yes he has ACL damage to his knee but when this kid plays seriously he is the type of player that can change the game. He will be a factor in the passing game, running game, and return game. Hogan is a natural athlete, don’t believe me? Look at the positions he played since high school. He was recruited in high school as a QB and his numbers weren’t bad at all once he came to WVU he made the switch to receiver and played that for his freshman year and spring of his sophomore year. Fall of his sophomore year he made the transition to CB and started, once he realizes that he has to mature and to honor and respect his craft this kid will be a heck of a ball player. (Personal Grade: B+)
5)Kealoha Pilares (WR, Hawaii)
I can understand this pick but I don’t agree with it, Pilares was ranked as the 206th player on the board; he was a bit of a reach. If you wanted to find some weapons for Cam, Jimmy, or whoever was going to be throwing the ball, you could have done better. A 5th round pick that you could have gotten in the 6th or probably the 7th but this is some depth to the position and he will probably help contribute on ST (Personal Grade: C-)
6)Lawrence Wilson (LB, Connecticut)
You have to love this pick and to get him in the 6th is great value for a player who was projected 4-5th round player. He brings depth to the LB corps, also speed and a wide range on the field he will probably see the majority of his playing time on special teams before he actually gets a role on the defensive side. With the proper coaching he can also be a solid rotational player and perhaps starter but expect him to put on 10-15lbs (Personal Grade: B-)
7)Zachary Williams (OL, Washington State)
Nothing special about this pick really except the fact that he adds depth to a thin offensive line, with coaching and improving of technique he has the ability to be a solid back up center/guard if any starter goes down (Personal Grade: C-)
8)Lee Ziemba (OL, Auburn)
Ziemba is a tough, strong, and fast enough lineman that he can actually compete for the starting spot on right tackle, an excellent pick for the panthers who not only found a solid value pick in the last round but he brings fresh legs on the o-line that we seen plagued with injuries last season. If he plays to his potential and the rest of the line stays healthy we can see the panthers back to the running game they had in 08-09 (Personal Grade: B)
OVERALL GRADE (B)
I think the Panthers have put themselves in the position where they can start contending for an NFC South conference championship and playoffs contention. They still remain a draft or two from competing for a Super Bowl
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