2011 Carolina Panthers Draft Needs
Written by Steve Janus
The Carolina Panthers have a lot of work to do if they want to compete in the NFC South. They finished with the worst record in the NFL at 2-14. It will be up to new head coach Ron Rivera to turn things around in Carolina. His focus has to be on an offense that finished dead last in the NFL in total yards, passing yards, and points per game.
The Panthers used their second round pick in the 2010 draft on Jimmy Clausen, but he went just 1-9 as a starter with three touchdowns to nine interceptions. Carolina did get some nice production out of wide outs David Gettis and Brandon LaFell, but overall it was another weak draft class for the Panthers.
Carolina’s struggles last season earned them the No.1 pick in the 2011 draft. With no second round pick they have to hit on their top selection. Here is a look at the five positions I feel the Panthers have to target. Find out who we have the Panthers taking in the first round in our 2011 NFL Mock draft.
Quarterback: Clausen didn’t give any indication that he is going to be a franchise quarterback. That will likely have the Panthers looking at Auburn’s Cam Newton and Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert with the No. 1 pick. Neither of these quarterbacks are guaranteed to be a hit in the NFL, but both have a ton of potential. Without a second round pick, they would likely have to count on finding a starter in free agency if they don’t take Newton or Gabbert.
Defensive Tackle: The Panthers could really use some help up front on the defensive line. Carolina will have the option of taking Alabama’s defensive tackle Marcell Dareus with the No. 1 pick. This would be a much safer option than either Newton or Gabbert. If they end up taking a quarterback at No.1, look for them to go after someone like Jarvis Jenkins out of Clemson in the third.
Cornerback: Starter Richard Marshall is a free agent and it might be hard for the Panthers to convince him to keep playing on a team that was as bad as they were in 2010. It will be hard for the Panthers to pass up on LSU’s Patrick Peterson at No.1. Peterson is a special talent that doesn’t come around often at this position, and can also help them out in the return game.
Tight End: The Panthers want to get their tight ends more involved in the passing game, but really don’t have a guy on their roster that fits the profile. Look for the Panthers to use their third or fourth round pick on this position. Wisconsin’s Lance Kendricks and Tennessee’s Luke Stocker are both options in the third round.
Wide Receiver: The Panthers have a bunch of young receivers, but outside of Gettis none of them really figure to amount to much in the NFL. Veteran Steve Smith appears to be on the downhill side of his career. Look for the Panthers to try and find someone who can help this unit out late in the draft.
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