guinn eh?

4/4/2013 3:06:14 PM

4/4/2013 4:54:27 PM

Two guys who are pretty worthless on offense but we can use their contributions on special teams I guess

4/4/2013 5:07:25 PM

I like what Gettleman's done so far, especially considering the cap mess Hurney left him. I'm surprised that Williams, Stewart, and Tolbert are all still on the roster though.

4/4/2013 5:09:15 PM

We cant trade or cut williams or stewart

4/4/2013 5:13:08 PM

With Ginn/Hixon signed, Dwan Edwards resigned, and DJ Moore/Drayton Florence signed, Panthers don't seem to have any huge holes going into the draft. Will be interesting to see how they draft.

Could draft one of the two top OGs -- Warmack or Cooper. But does anyone really pick OGs in the top 15?

Could draft one of the top WRs -- Keenan Allen or Tavon Austin. But they're loaded with WRs at this point (albeit mostly average ones).

Could draft DT, but I'm not sure the top guys fall to them -- Star Lotulele (sp?) and Floyd from UF.

Could even go safety, corner, or offensive tackle depending on who's there.

Anyway, it's nice going into the draft without having a HUGE glaring weakness on the team. Props to Gettlemen.

4/7/2013 8:10:09 AM

I'm on the Kennan Allen bandwagon

4/7/2013 3:40:14 PM

You and me both. Reminds me of Michael Crabtree (the 2012 version). If we can't get Star Lotulelei, I'd be pumped with Allen. We're going to need a replacement for Smitty at some point. None of the WR's on our roster are #1 targets ... only Lafell could be considered a decent #2.

Allen seems like the total package -- athletic, elusive, fluid, tough, fearless, and a bit of a nasty streak. He's from Greensboro too. I think he's actually having his Pro Day there in a couple days. If he runs well there (4.4 - 4.5 range), I can definitely see the Panthers taking him in the 1st



[Edited on April 7, 2013 at 4:47 PM. Reason : ]

4/7/2013 4:46:14 PM

Allen has also been working out with Ricky Proehl, our WR coach, so there's that

4/7/2013 4:47:35 PM

Here's a list that draftpanthers.com has been keeping of players that have either had a predraft interview, workout, or visit with the Panthers to further narrow down what players we are evaluating. The grades are those assigned by draftpanthers.

Quarterback Prospects

Ryan Nassib, Syracuse – 3rd Round Grade

Wide Receiver Prospects

DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson - 1st Round Grade
Tavon Austin, West Virginia - 1st Round Grade
Coraderrelle Patterson, Tennessee – 1st Round Grade
Justin Hunter, Tennessee – 1st Round Grade
Keenan Allen, Cal – 2nd Round Grade
Stedman Bailey, West Virginia - 2nd Round Grade
Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech – 3rd Round Grade
Conner Vernon, Duke - 5th Round Grade
Aaron Mellette, Elon – 6th Round Grade
Tyrone Goard – Eastern Kentucky – 7th Round Grade or UDFA

Offensive Guard Prospects

Edmond Kugbila, Valdosta State – 7th Round Grade or UDFA

Offensive Tackle Prospects

Lane Johnson, Oklahoma – 1st Round Grade
D.J. Fluker - Alabama - 2nd Round Grade

Tight End Prospects

Gavin Escobar, San Diego State – 2nd Round Grade
Kevin Finney, Richmond - 7th Round Grade or UDFA

Defensive Tackle Prospects

Sharrif Floyd, Florida - 1st Round Grade
Kawann Short, Purdue – 2nd Round Grade

Defensive End Prospects

David Bass, Missouri Western State - 5th Round Grade

Linebacker Prospects

Gerald Hodges, Penn State - 4th Round Grade

Cornerback Prospects

Sanders Commings, Georgia - 3rd Round Grade
Robert Alford, SE Louisiana - 4th Round Grade
Kayvon Webster, USF - 6th Round Grade

Safety Prospects

Jonathan Cyprien, FIU - 1st Round Grade
Matt Elam, Florida – 2nd Round Grade
Duke Williams, Utah State - 4th Round Grade

4/7/2013 8:22:51 PM

I also meant to add that I would take Austin in a second over Allen. Not even close in my mind.

That's not a troll statement or anything of the like. I think TT and I talked about this briefly a while back, but Austin in my opinion will be a VERY special player in the league. He's a spread offense's wet dream. You can literally line him up anywhere and get him the ball in space and it's game over for the defense.

Not to mention that he was one of the best return men in the nation last year so we would be getting a huge upgrade in two phases.

Watch this video of his senior highlights and tell me in our spread he wouldn't be deadly. If you put him in the slot or the backfield he would essentially be singled up by alignment on a linebacker or safety and can beat those guys all day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_UNFZHSQU

If you don't want to watch the whole thing just FF to ~4min mark and watch what he does OU

4/7/2013 9:12:35 PM

Yeah, Austin is as good as they come with the ball in his hands.

To me, he's a Desean Jackson clone -- an electric player who' extremely short and basically limited to the slot. I'd love him in the 2nd, but is he worth the #14 pick? Jackson was taken in the 2nd round FWIW.

4/7/2013 9:47:44 PM

look how many times Austin gets run down in that video though

his 40 time was off the chain, but I don't think he has 100 yard speed

also, and i think i mentioned this already, i think the Panthers have major concerns about his durability

I want a big receiver

4/7/2013 10:52:37 PM

yeah he definitely doesn't have prototypical size.

What's his size and 40 time?


He could be a Percy Harvin type. Or a Peter Warrick though...


And Desean Jackson by and large hasn't been very good the last two years.


Also, getting run down isn't the end of the world. Barry Sanders didn't have elite speed either, he was always getting run down.

4/7/2013 11:51:58 PM

austin is plenty fast

he has a white man's vertical, though. pretty sure he cant even dunk. will never be able to out jump taller corners like steve

4/8/2013 1:01:52 AM

if i had my preference, "Steve Smith's successor" wouldn't be 5'8 like Steve Smith, he'd be like 6'2

4/8/2013 1:17:34 AM

Greg Cosell (a guy I like reading/listening to regarding rating draftees) talking WRs:
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/multimedia/videos/Film-Room-WR-Draft-Class/a4fd629d-3251-4ccd-9161-c525ab8b5eef

For anyone who doesn't want to bother listening/watching: he likes Austin the best

4/8/2013 1:34:22 AM

Thanks for the link. I've watched a lot of "experts" talk about the draft over the years. Most of the time I end up thinking my mom could do a better job analyzing players. (I'm looking at you, McShay).

^That guy gets it. Really good break-downs without the typical BS commentary. His Keenan Allen = Reggie Wayne comparison is a good one (though Wayne has better hands).

And wow, Justin Hunter looks like he could be a beast in the NFL. Reminded me a little Randy Moss during those drills. I know he didn't do much last year at UT, but his QB played like shit. If the Panthers can get him in the 2nd, he could be a steal.

And spoiler alert -- Mike Glennon makes a cameo around the 8 minute mark.

4/8/2013 7:27:01 AM

I've wanted the Panthers to end up taking DeAndre Hopkins in the 2nd round for most of the college football year. Then I saw he started getting late 1st round grades and wrote him off. Would definitely take him over Allen or Austin.

But interesting that we've met with so many WR's when most of the mock drafts I've seen have us taking a DT or OT in the first. Heck I've seen mocks with us taking a G in the first.

4/8/2013 7:42:13 AM

Quote :

"yeah he definitely doesn't have prototypical size. What's his size and 40 time? He could be a Percy Harvin type. Or a Peter Warrick though... And Desean Jackson by and large hasn't been very good the last two years. Also, getting run down isn't the end of the world. Barry Sanders didn't have elite speed either, he was always getting run down."

Austin is 5'9" 174lb and ran 4.34 at the combine

I agree with face about TT getting too caught up in the "100 yard speed" thing. .01% of the NFL has "100 yard speed" and somehow players still make plays.

I also don't buy into the "Steve Smith replacement" theory, as if this one pick in one round HAS to be the guy that fills that role. Just keep drafting weapons and things will work themselves out. We don't have to draft "replacements" for particular roles on both sides of the ball.

4/8/2013 9:01:10 AM

Quote :

"two-thousand And Thirteen"

4/8/2013 9:34:57 AM

Quote :

" Could draft one of the two top OGs -- Warmack or Cooper. But does anyone really pick OGs in the top 15?"

Cooper isn't going to last until the Panthers pick.

Cordarrelle Patterson is my choice of 1st round WR talent.

4/8/2013 11:21:09 AM

Add Kiki Mingo and DeAndre Hopkins to the visits list

4/8/2013 11:07:04 PM

^^I've heard Patterson is about as sharp as a marble. Could be hearsay though. What's not is that he runs really poor routes and has suspect hands. He's a freak athletically, though.

Still, give me Allen all day over him. Even Hopkins.

4/9/2013 6:53:28 AM

Apparently Allen ran a horrible 40 at his pro day today. Mid 4.5 range and Mayock said 4.7

4/9/2013 6:54:23 PM

yeah they showed highlights of him on the news and he looked really slow. rivera was there along with a bunch of other scouts

4/9/2013 7:03:00 PM

He plays fast, but that's still pretty bad. Doctors said his leg was only about 75% healed up FWIW.

Maybe he falls to our 2nd pick?

4/9/2013 9:39:02 PM

2013 News:

Quote :

" Will Brinson ?@WillBrinson 2m Woah. RT @TaylorZRadio: I've learned the Panthers will host the Patriots in a Monday Night game. More info to come... "

4/18/2013 6:39:13 PM

Yuck another national audience blowout

4/18/2013 7:01:19 PM

I love MNF tailgates

4/18/2013 7:16:08 PM

maybe we can give tom brady the ol chris simms

4/18/2013 7:16:43 PM

Panthers will have the toughest schedule of any team in 2013

4/18/2013 7:28:26 PM

Any schedule they would have would be the toughest aside from maybe the Jets, Bills, or Raiders

4/18/2013 10:03:24 PM