« Fans' mock draft: Who would you pick? | Main | Fans' mock draft voting results ... »
April 24, 2008
Reading tea leaves, 48 hours out
With about 48 hours to go before the NFL draft begins, there are significant rumblings involving some of the players linked to the Panthers. Here's what we're hearing:
Climbing:
Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart (left). Medical concerns about his toe surgery have subsided. He seems to be climbing up boards. Don't be surprised to see him in the top 10 of some final national mock drafts.
Boston College OT Gosder Cherilus (right). He's viewed as a really solid pick to play right tackle and perhaps less of a risk than Pitt OT Jeff Otah, though Otah has more upside.
Florida DE Derrick Harvey (left). There was a time when it seemed like there was a good chance he'd be available when the Panthers pick at No. 13. Now it's not so certain at all. He had a very good pro day workout and is a high-effort player at a high-impact position. Those are hard to find, especially in a player who was voted team captain and has an 82-inch wingspan. (Don't you know Julius Peppers would love to be flanked by this guy?!)
Dropping, at least a little:
Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams (right). The Broncos, who have the 12th pick, may be his safety net. But if he gets past them, he could fall to No. 17 or 18. He isn't as physical as some teams, such as Carolina, prefer. But he's an ideal fit for Denver or Houston, who use zone-blocking schemes extensively.
- Branden Albert, G/T, Virginia. It almost isn't fair to list him here, but we're doing it because so many recent mocks had him going No. 5 to Kansas City. It now looks like the Chiefs may be able to get Albert's college teammate, DE Chris Long. If so, Albert could go to the Ravens at No. 8 or even be available when the Panthers pick at No. 13.
- Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois. It's not that Mendenhall is dropping overall, but it sounds like the Panthers prefer Stewart.
On the bubble:
Clemson DE Phillip Merling (left). This is a huge day for him. His stock fell after he was unable to work out at the combine or at Clemson's Pro Day due to undergoing sports hernia surgery. However, he held a special individual workout on campus earlier today and hoped to solidify his pre-draft standing. He isn't fully recovered yet and wasn't able to run a 40-yard dash, but did some individual defensive line drills. According to a source close to the situation, the Panthers were represented but GM Marty Hurney and coach John Fox didn't attend. The Washington Redskins, who have the No. 21 selection, had a huge contingent on hand to watch Merling, including owner Dan Snyder, vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato and coach Jim Zorn. The Redskins need a defensive end.
What does it all mean?
Looks like the Panthers will pick either an OT, Harvey or Stewart.
-- Charles Chandler
Posted by Observer Sports on April 24, 2008 at 02:58 PM | Permalink
Comments
if the panthers stay where they are they can get some real quality
1. stewart fox loves this guy and hes a steal at 13
2. duane brown o.t # 47 projection right around the panthers pick
3.trevor laws dt love this high motor guy
3. phillips s best safety in the draft . a steal here.
Posted by: ray | Apr 24, 2008 3:36:30 PM
I would LOVE to trade up for Ellis. We need an impact DT.
Posted by: J | Apr 24, 2008 3:37:57 PM
Hehe...Are you sure your not smoking those tea leaves???
Posted by: Stan Robbins | Apr 24, 2008 3:38:08 PM
I really think D-Line is the way to go.......
Posted by: Evan Mathis | Apr 24, 2008 3:40:13 PM
No receivers on the radar....Cool......looks like I can hang out for another year. Hey pass some of those leaves...Do you smoke them or drink them?
Posted by: Dwayne Jarrett | Apr 24, 2008 3:44:19 PM
It's either trade up to 7 for Ellis or take Mendenhall, Stewart, or Harvey in that order at 13. Big surprise...no OT until the 5th round!
Posted by: Steve | Apr 24, 2008 3:51:10 PM
Come on guys, you know good and well that the Panthers won't trade up for Matt Ryan. They have too many needs far greater than QB to trade away picks. They went to Boston College to see Gosder Cherilus, not Matt Ryan.
Posted by: Bill | Apr 24, 2008 4:02:30 PM
If the DE Harvey is not there at 13 take RB Stewart.
Posted by: nick | Apr 24, 2008 4:09:13 PM
Panthers fans i have been reading on the internet that you think we will draft DE Derrick Harvey. Well i am here to tell you that is not true, in fact me and the Hurnster were not even at his pro day... we had to go lay out on the beach and take off our shirts and think hmmmmm who can we draft that will once again become a bust??? Eh oh well we will take care of that in round 2 because if he is there we are taking Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart with the 13th pick. I wonder if i shouldn't have told you guys this information its not like me to actually talk to the fans about anything... oh well have a nice weekend we will be sure to dissapoint our great fans once again!
Sincerly, Foxymamma!
Posted by: John Fox | Apr 24, 2008 4:09:43 PM
here is the ideal situation.
The Panthers trade down from 13 with Philly, who have indicated they might want to move up. Get a 2nd in return. Some how Williams or Cherilus is avaliable at 19.
Then Trade with San Diego for Carolina's original picks in 2nd and 3rd for San Diego's spot at#27 (perhaps a fifth round swap also). At 27 the Panthers take either Kenny Phillips S out of Miami or Joe Flacco QB out of Delware.
Posted by: jbw | Apr 24, 2008 4:11:15 PM
I think Stewart is the right choice. No other back in this class has the ability to pound it up the middle and bounce it to the outside. He has great power and explosiveness, which is all too hard to find in a RB. I would love to see the Panthers make a move to get into the late 1st and pick up Cherilus as well. I just don't think DE is a top priority for the Panthers. I don't see the logic in burying McClover, Johnson, and Brayton on the depth chart, when DT is the real need on that line. DE would be the most wasted position to pick in the first. I think they address that position late in the draft, but there is no way pick a DE before a DT.
Posted by: mountaineerdynAsty | Apr 24, 2008 4:38:19 PM
That would be idiotic for the Panthers to take Stewart at 13. We should be able to trade down and get him at 16 or 17.
Posted by: Bob | Apr 24, 2008 4:52:59 PM
Hey, we are the former first round picks of the Panthers. We weren't first round busts were we? At least the Foxy coach, and smart Hurney did well in the first round (Gamble isn't here because he is to busy fumbling possible INT's)
Posted by: Jon Beason, T. Davis, D-Will, Julius Peppers, and Jordan Gross | Apr 24, 2008 4:59:44 PM
you should not practice black magic.
Posted by: Radicaldad | Apr 24, 2008 5:27:00 PM
Idiotic? Just because we traded down last year and just because a guy might fall a few spots doesn't mean you do it again. In a perfect world you trade down if you know the guy is going to be there. Fact of the matter is there are two teams who pick after us and both need RB's desperately. Stewart and Mendenhall should be gone after us because the Lions and Bears will snatch up both of them. To trade down you have to know a guy is going to be there and have a team whose needs match someone coming off the board in the next few picks. We could trade down with Philly, as they need OL but then like I said earlier you have two teams who are going to most likely pick RB's. It just isn't likely. There is no way he is there at 16 or 17, the same goes for Mendenhall. It wouldn't be a reach to take him where we are at by any means. I think you have to take the kid where we are and try to move back into the 1st again with a late pick to pick up an OT.
Posted by: mountaineerdynAsty | Apr 24, 2008 5:28:24 PM
PANTHERS WILL PICK DE Derrick Harvey at 13.
Posted by: victor | Apr 24, 2008 5:34:51 PM
what jbw said is really intresting all I can say is GO CAROLINA PANTHERS!
Posted by: telling it like it is | Apr 24, 2008 5:38:21 PM
I'd be interested to see us get Stewart. Barring any setbacks from his injuries, he and DeAngelo would be a great RB combo. They're young, quick, and they both bring power (ex: DeAngelo's 5 yard stiff arm of Terrence Newman vs. Dallas) and speed (Stewart running a 4.45 on an injured toe...most of us couldn't run that on completely healthy feet). We can get a quality LT in the 2nd or 3rd, and get a semi-decent DL in the later rounds too. By the way, Tony Dungy was very high on Brayton when we signed him...he must be semi-decent if Indy wants to go after him.
Posted by: JPanther | Apr 24, 2008 5:55:45 PM
I wouldn't be dissapointed with Harvey,Stewart,or Mendenhall. But we deffinately need a DE to match peppers or we are back to the worst DL passrush in the league and back to giving up easy scores to pathetic teams. If we don't get that legendary passrush again or at least a good one then we are screwed. There are plenty of RB's in later rounds that are complete steals.
Posted by: Cameron | Apr 24, 2008 6:50:52 PM
Sign Shaun Alexander to a one-two year, performance based deal. Take the highest rated OT at 13. Trade the 2nd and one of the 3rds to move back up into the bottom of the first to take the best DE/DL available. That would leave you with 7 picks left in rounds 3-7. There is no need to draft a RB at 13. We have a starter, we just need a second option. Alexander would more than provide that. He played most of all last year with a broken hand and even missed some games, but he still had 700+ yards. Plus signing Alexander saves a draft pick. OT is a must in the first. Wharton is shakey at LT and Gross is in the last year of his contract. We need to get a stable day one starter at LT. Hopefully either Clady, Otah, or Williams will be there at 13. The next glaring need, possibly the biggest is on the DL. We need DT more than DE, but due to the lack of DT in the draft we might have to go DE. We can take our 2nd and one of our two thirds and move up to the bottom of the second round to take the best DE avaiable. Hopefully Merling, the DE from Miami, or the DT from UNC will be available. Thats my thoughts. Comments??
Posted by: J Thomas | Apr 24, 2008 6:58:03 PM
I was reading on SI's beat writer mock draft where Stan Olsen said the Panthers have an "embarrassment of riches" at #13. Well, to me, if you have a 6 choices you have trouble choosing between, TRADE BACK! If you move back 5 picks, you know there will be at the very least 2 guys you like still sitting there, and you'll have to pay the guy you pick less money!
We don't need star playmakers, we just need workhorses who will hold down their job. Those are the kinds of guys we've lost recently -- Rucker, Minter, Witherspoon, and for that matter, Moose (who even if he starts, won't be the Moose of four years ago).
Posted by: BullCityDog | Apr 24, 2008 8:52:38 PM
Whoever they draft, they better get a good CPA and Tax Lawyer
Posted by: Wesley Snipes | Apr 24, 2008 9:43:04 PM
Please stay away from Cherilus, right now we have
RT Gross = very good to great
LT Wharton = decent
with Cherilus drafted
RT Cherilus = ???
LT Gross = decent
So theway I see it, even if Cherilus turn out great we do not get a better line. We all know what Gross can (and cannot) do on the left side. Keep him away from it!
Posted by: Thorrez | Apr 25, 2008 4:08:49 AM
If we draft Harvey at 13 I will post youtube links to videos of him getting pancaked every week in the NFL. Can you say BUST...
Posted by: wolfpackjj78 | Apr 25, 2008 8:36:09 AM
Oh yeah, and always bet on black!
Posted by: Wesley Snipes | Apr 25, 2008 12:28:07 PM
Post a comment
Advertisements
