You Have Spoken and PantherNation Chooses Pierre Desir in Rd. 3!

DON'T MOCK THE DRAFT, DECIDE IT RD 3

PantherNation is on fire!  After taking the electrifying Brandin Cooks in Rd. 1 and Hog-Mollie Jack Mewhort in Rd. 2, you have decisively selected Pierre Desir.  This big-time prospect out of little Lindenwood College has future star written all over him.  He is a great size at 6’1 198 lbs. and has great speed in the 4.4 range. 

But here’s why I love the pick:  Put a guy with natural athletic ability and fluid mechanics behind our mythical D-Line and there is the opportunity to have the next great player on our hands.  Greatness needs opportunity, support and talent, this situation lends to all three.  Watch how natural his turns are and how fluid and low his back pedal is.  The Panthers have worked this young man out and assuming he is there at Pick 92 you will hear this Panthers analyst erupt with excitement.  I can only imagine how good he will be with our front seven.  But a word of caution Panther Fans: Be patient.  He hasn’t faced the top-line competition that we will see week in and week out in the NFL.  He may falter early but the sky is the limit for this kid.  Great pick PantherNation! 

Want more highlights? 

Now on to Round 4.  The middle rounds are what separates the men from the boys, so let’s get this one right.  Vote for the position you want. Make your voice heard.  And follow me, Erin Ford, on twitter @PanthersDrafter

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Have Faith, Panthers Fans - Gettleman and Rivera on Top of their Game

It's a bit of a stormy Saturday afternoon outside and one I don't want to dabble in and got to thinking.

Yes - in my case, a mind is a terrible thing, but putting that aside for the moment, please humor me with a few minutes of your time to help calm your fears over recent events regarding the Carolina Panthers.

I just wanted to share my impressions of some of the things I've been seeing and hearing over the past couple of months regarding the roster and wanted to try and help keep the "fanship" on a bit more even-keel by pointing out a few things that we DO know and see where that leads us, hm?

Okay.

Please forgive any "rambling" here, but I'm trying to tie together a number of angles and it must necessarily be a bit wordy. Lots of information looked at, I promise. Bear with me. I gave up half a Saturday for you, so cut me some slack on this one okay? ;)

Despite any PC-like quotes Rivera may or may not say about a specific player, like DeSean "We'd be interested in looking at him" Jackson, General Manager David Gettleman has made things very, very clear on numerous occasions. In short, he wants to be able to have the ability to keep our home-grown "Star" (pun intended SO much) talent in Charlotte, and past the rookie four to five-year deals they start their careers there under.

Carolina Panthers Backyard Ballers: USC's WR Bruce Ellington

Backyard Baller: Bruce Ellington 

In this series' initial installment, I took a look at Clemson's offensive lineman Brandon Thomas and how he may project to the NFL, but the recent bad news on him is that he tore his ACL in training.

Now, we move to in-state rival University of South Carolina and have a look at one of the "other" players on their roster....someone whose last name doesn't rhyme with "frowney."

I did attend South Carolina's Pro Day last week, so I got to see him run his routes and catch some passes from QB Connor Shaw, so at least I did get an unfettered view of him in a comparison with his fellow WRs and the guy did stand out with crisp routes in general and smooth in his cuts.

That said, you have to give anyone's game tape a lot more weight than a few "backyard" pass patterns in shorts and a t-shirt without defenders. That was about the only drill he did, positional or otherwise, that I was able to see very well. There were literally hundreds and hundreds of other people all over the field.

We all know about Jadeveon Clowney, undoubtedly the premier athlete at ANY position in this year's NFL draft. In fact, it has been a number of years since such a freakish, productive college football player has entered his name into the hat for the next level.

But football is a team sport - again, as we all know - and several Gamecocks have been slowly but surely creeping up the draft board since the NFL combine.

Ellington is one of those guys.

First, let's review his vitals: He's only 5'9" but weighs in at 197 lbs, making him a very solidly-built young man very reminiscent of ex-Carolina Panther Captain Munnerlyn (5'8" 195 lbs.).

Bruce ran a 4.45 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, demonstrating very good speed for the position. He recorded 15 bench press repetitions at 225 lbs, showing very nice strength for a wide receiver prospect which puts a number of sorts on his frame and his strength for his stature. With a 39 1/2 inch vertical jump, ten feet even on the broad jump, a sub-4 seconds in the short shuttle and a very quick 6.69 seconds in the 3-cone, he shows agility equal  to his strength and speed.

Put this all together, and he compares well to another ex-Panther named Steve Smith.

Usually, smaller guys like Ellington (or Smitty) are relegated to the slot at the NFL level, but Ellington's strength may mean he's an exception to that general rule. It all depends on what team and system he finds himself in.

With that in mind, let's take a look at his strengths and weaknesses.

PantherNation Chooses Corner Back for Round 3!

DON'T MOCK THE DRAFT: 3rd RD 

Panther Nation’s closest vote yet came to a close and our choice is for a Corner Back in Round 3.  There is no denying this unit needs an infusion of talent.  So who’s it going to be Panther Nation?  Vote now from the below candidates to have the next Carolina Island named after him:

1.      Stanley Jean-Baptiste- This WR converted to Corner Back out of Nebraska is the  prototypical “new-age” Corner Back made en vogue by Seattle.  Long and instinctive defender measuring in at 6’3, 218 lbs.  He’s a little stiff in the hips but has a knack to make the big play and will be a hot commodity on Draft Day

2.     Keith McGill- Another lengthy and physical athlete out of Utah.  At 6’3 211, he runs a sub 4.45 40.  Look for McGill to rise up the board on Draft Day

3.     Pierre Desir- This is another long corner back at 6’1 198 lbs.  Exceptional athlete with solid mechanics.  Small school product that may take a little time to adjust to elite competition, but very high ceiling.  Recently met with the Panthers

4.    Marcus Roberson-  This Florida Gator is a very talented and intriguing prospect.  Also good size at 6’0 191 lbs. and is flying under the radar due to missing much of last season due to injury.  But look for this fluid athlete to turn heads in his rookie season

5.    Victor Hampton- This Charlotte native isn't the ideal size but is very effective.  At 5’9 197 lbs., this sparkplug plays with a chip on his shoulder and would instantly become our Nickel Back and is a punt returner as well.  Captain Munnerlyn 2.0?

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Make this vote count Panther Nation.  Who is going to be the guy to shut down Julio Jones, Vincent Jackson and Marques Colston for years to come?  Follow me on Twitter @PanthersDrafter for updates and ongoing Panthers discussions.

Ron Rivera: Chump or Champ?

29-38-13-7-15-8…the numbers that forged the legend of “Riverboat Ron.”  Rivera’s Powerball jackpot was big. It included a NFC South Championship, a 3-year contract extension, and the slick-ass moniker “Riverboat Ron.” The numbers weren’t random, however. They’re significant. Rivera had played these numbers for three years before hitting his payday.

2-9 (2011 start)

3-8 (2012 start)

1-3 (2013 start)

7-15 in games decided by less than 7 points.

8 game win streak (franchise record) that ended in a 12-4 season, a division title, and a home playoff game in 2013. 

Winning the Powerball jackpot removed the angst of losing for most fans.  It was an electrifying experience. Panther fans huddled around Rivera’s Panthers as they went on a hot streak that would make any Vegas pro jitter with excitement. The hot-streak ended, however, as they all do, in loss. Burned by the river card, Rivera walked away convinced he had made the right play. He was still Riverboat Ron, right?

All professional gamesters experience this defining type moment.  It’s not the hot streak. It’s not the loss. It’s not even that the loss came because of a bad beat. It’s the return to the tables that is the real test of a gambler’s fortitude.  Rivera's 2014 return to the high stakes table will determine his legacy in Carolina. 

Gamblers generally attribute winning to skill rather than luck. Despite their devotion to the numbers, the strategy, the game, there are times when they are reminded that they are still fundamentally games of chance.  In the end, the gambler is always gambling. The gamester can respond to these defining moments in two ways: through instinctual confidence or a developing a festering fear of failure. The burn can either resolve their confidence that chance can be mastered or paralyze them by the fear that chance is not in their favor.

So how will Riverboat Ron respond?  Is he a “chump” or a “champ?”

At Pick #60 PantherNation Selects Hog-Molly Jack Mewhort

Don't Mock the Draft, Decide It RD 2

PantherNation has spoken clearly once again.  Though a tough choice, your selection for our 2^nd Round Pick is All-American Ohio State Buckeye, Jack Mewhort.  At 6’6 and 309 lbs., this Hog-Molly sure looks the part.  I love this pick at #60, as he is known as a powerful blocker with a lot of traits that the Panthers covet:  He is naturally big with an absolutely huge wing-span of 80 ¼ Inches.   He was voted Team Captain by his peers, is very durable and can play all five positions on the line.  He does need to learn to play lower, as he won’t be able to overpower everyone in the NFL the way he did in college.  But take a look at what Coach Urban Meyer has to say about his “tough guy,”and look for him to immediately upgrade our line and make a big difference. 

Again, great job making your voice heard PantherNation.  Now you have to decide what position we pick at Pick #92.  Another Wide Receiver, Offensive Lineman, Defensive Back?  Vote now.  Then follow me on Twitter @PanthersDrafter and read my Panther Picks at www.drafttek.com.

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BREAKING NEWS - Greg Hardy Traded to Falcons for Picks, Harry Douglas

Yes, Panther Nation, the news just broke and I am SHOCKED!

NOBODY saw a blockbuster deal like this coming. It was just announced that the Carolina Panthers traded defensive end Greg Hardy to the Atlanta Falcons for their second and sixth-round picks in May's draft this year AND wide receiver Harry Douglas.

To complete the trade, the Panthers also send reserve RB Kenyon Barner, a rookie who was injured much of last year and ineffective when he did see the field while the Falcons ship the Panthers reserve DE Cliff Matthews.

The Panthers also receive Atlanta's fifth-round pick in 2015.

WOW.

I would say I can't believe he was traded, but now it makes perfect sense as to why Gettleman slapped Hardy with the franchise tag instead of a long-term deal....it made him easier to quietly shop and trade because there is NO massive salary attached to him.

Trading The Kraken to a divisional foe isn't the best idea, in my opinion, especially given the state of the offensive tackle position for the Panthers. Gettleman just handed the Atlanta Falcons a weapon to use against us that we are incapable of dealing with at the moment.

I certainly don't see a Byron Bell stopping him. A rookie, no matter how good, will be hard-pressed to slow him down, too.