Let's Compare Our Picks to The Real Results

So PantherNation, how did we do?  Let’s compare the Panther Fan led draft on this very website to the one that actually went down.  At this point I have mixed feelings about the real draft’s outcome.  But in reality we won’t know how good or bad it is for at least a year if not longer.  But let’s compare picks round by round anyway:

Round 1- Pick #28:

In our poll we agreed with the Panthers that we wanted a WR to sure up the vacancy left by #89.  Where we parted ways was we wanted the electric Brandin Cooks.  Unfortunately Cooks went to the enemy in New Orleans.  But it appears that the team’s preference all along was to go big.  “You can’t coach 6’5 240,” says Gettleman.  This is true and I am excited to see if Benjamin can quickly become our #1 option.  I love how he wanted to be here all along and how he loves Cam Newton.  He also comes across as very humble and as a team guy, so I’m excited for this pick.

Round 2- Pick #60:

Poll results said we wanted a big Tackle to protect Cam.  Unfortunately, our choice of Jack Mewhort, went one pick in front of us to the Colts.  But the selection of Kony Ealy was a high-value pick. 
At DraftTek, he was the 26^th rated player, and I had pegged him at 28 in one of my simulations.  So to get him at 60 was too good to pass up.  Not to mention if we can’t resign the Kraken, we’ll have options.  But remember that Ealy can play all four positions on the D line and will find plenty of playing time.  You will grow to love this pick in time.

Round 3- Pick  #92:

We said we wanted Pierre Desir.  But value got in the way of this happening.  I’ll side with Gettleman that Trai Turner was the right pick here.  This H0g-Mollie will clear running lanes and bring nastiness to our O-line that is much needed.  Desir would have been great here, but when you can add an athletic big man, do it.

Round 4- Pick #128

We all said we wanted a WR in Round 4 and I would have liked to see us do just that.  Our choice of Michael Campanaro ended up going to his hometown Ravens in Round 6.  Adding insult to injury, we just missed getting Pierre Desir, who we wanted in Round 3, as he went to Cleveland one pick ahead of us.  Ouch! that is twice we just missed.  Instead, the Panthers looked to replace the vocal and hard-hitting vacancy left by Mike Mitchell.  They turned to “Backyard-Baller,” Tre Boston.  I’m liking this pick in that he has good size and solid instincts.  Let him learn behind DeCoud and Harper and he will contribute long term.  He scored a solid 21 on the Wonderlic Test which the Panthers put a premium on ever since Josh Norman blew a key coverage assignment to lose us the game in Buffalo a year ago.  (I was at that game and it still haunts me)

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Round 5- Pick #148

We all said we wanted hometown LB, Prince Shembo, at this spot.  Unfortunately another Division Rival spoiled our plans.  Nine picks earlier, the Dirty-Birds snatched him up.  We traded up and got a player that I had Mocked to the Panthers multiple times over at DraftTek.  Bene Benwikere out of San Jose St.  I like this move a lot.  He is good size at 6’ 195 and is very instinctive.  He may take a year to crack the starting line-up but he will contribute in 2014.

Round 6- Pick #204

PantherNation voted for another Hog-Mollie in Cornelius Lucas here.  Gettleman proved he wasn’t kidding when he said he will not reach for need.  For the second year in a row he goes with a RB in Round 6.  Tyler Gaffney out of Stanford had an amazing 1,709 yards and21 TDs last year.  Think about that for a minute.  He has good size and solid speed.  Plus he is smart and picks up blitzes very well.  That is something that may be the demise of last year’s 6^th Rounder, Kenyon Barner.  Big Lucas is still available!  Go get him DG.

And we traded away our 7^th Rounder to move up in the 5^th.  So even though we didn’t get the same players that we voted for, we did add some young talent to our team.  They are now family so let’s get behind them all and hope we see them take this team to the next level.  This process was fun PantherNation and only happened because of you and your involvement.  Look for more draft articles and peaks at next year’s draft throughout the upcoming season.  You can find my write-ups right here on this great website and you can follow me on twitter at (embed @PanthersDrafter)