Read the opposing arguments from Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer.
“I just want to tell you (that) you just made the best pick in the draft and I’m going to make you guys proud.” That’s a quote from Jimmy Clausen about being drafted with the 48th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers. And I have to agree with him.
The Panthers entered the 2010 NFL Draft at a definite disadvantage, having traded away their first round pick to San Francisco last year to acquire defensive end Everett Brown during the second round of the 2009 draft. This year’s draft class was teeming with talent especially in the area of quarterback – quite possibly Carolina’s greatest need – but it looked like the elite, difference making players would be gone by the time the Panthers’ first pick came around. Call it fate, divine intervention, or just dumb luck, but the most NFL ready quarterback in the entire draft class was still on the board when the Carolina’s pick came up, and the Panthers pounced on their man – Jimmy Clausen. This kicked off one of the most prolific drafts in the history of the franchise for Carolina and enabled the organization to walk away from the 2010 draft boasting the most talented class of draftees in the NFL.
I admit it seems a little like I am stealing a page from Loyal Homer and pulling for my home town team simply because they are…well, the home town team. But, that could not be further from the truth. Unlike Loyal Homer, I am aware that sometimes the grass, or in this case turf, IS greener on the other side. I entered the NFL draft with the lowest of expectations (the first sentence of my last article serves as proof of that), but I was absolutely blown away by quality of player that Carolina was able to acquire during the draft.
First, credit must be given to the draft savvy of general manager Marty Hurney and company for not panicking. Both Hurney and head coach John Fox came under fire toward the end of last season as the Panthers underperformed. There was even speculation that one or both of them would not return in 2010, but owner Jerry Richardson gave them a vote of confidence, at least for one more season, and it appears to be paying off in a huge way. Not only did the Panthers avoid the temptation of mortgaging the team’s future for yet another year by trading away the following year’s draft pick, as they did in 2008 and 2009, but they were able to capitalize on the mistakes of other teams that passed on an elite stud like Jimmy Clausen. Sure, this may seem like common sense to most, but we are talking about the Carolina Panthers here… a franchise that has been so conservative with early round picks that they have failed to draft a quarterback in the first three rounds since they did so with Kerry Collins in 1995. Considering that Carolina stood by this philosophy through seasons where Chris Weinke and Rodney Peete were taking the majority of the snaps under center, I would say this is a bold move. Ultimately, the Panthers did not trade up to get Clausen, not that they did not try, but they rode out the roller coaster ride of tension and drama and in the end were rewarded for their efforts. The Clausen pick – and the entire Panther’s draft picks in general – have the potential to contribute immediately. That may well have saved the Panthers season as well as the jobs of Hurney and Fox in the process.
From top to bottom the Panthers drafted players that would fill in holes in the team’s major areas of need – quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive end. Not only did the Panthers draft their quarterback of the future in Jimmy Clausen, but they also acquired two other college quarterbacks in Cincinnati QB Tony Pike and Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards. While Edwards figures to fit in more as a wide receiver, he is still an option for a team that seriously lacked options. The Carolina Panther’s quarterback depth went from nonexistent to crowded in the course of just three days. Before the draft Matt Moore seemed like the heir apparent to the Panther’s starting job, but now his hold on the job is fragile to say the least. Some have suggested that drafting Pike demonstrates the team is unsure about Clausen, but that is not the case. The Panthers lacked legit backup options and Pike provides that in spades. He has big time BCS experience and can lead an offense, so he is a welcome addition to a team that has brought in fossils like Vinny Testaverde in times of need. The 2010 Panthers will be armed and dangerous.
Similarly the Panther’s receiving corps was glaringly thin. Brandon LaFell of LSU, David Gettis of Baylor, and Armanti Edwards figure to change that right away. LaFell plays with a physicality that is already drawing comparisons to a younger Muhsin Muhammed. Edwards brings an athleticism and speed to the Panthers that will allow him to stretch the field opposite Steve Smith, or in the slot, not to mention opening things up in the wildcat formation. I have even heard comparisons between Edwards and another college QB turned wide out – Anquan Boldin. These receivers remind me of the Panthers receiving corps of “Smitty,” “Moose,” and Ricky Proehl… the corps led the team to its only Super Bowl in franchise history. At this point, Gettis is just icing on the cake.
The Panthers also picked up a pass rusher that is desperately needed in Greg Hardy. Since the departure of Julius Peppers, the Panthers have been left without a big play defensive lineman. Greg Hardy could definitely be that guy. He is a sick athlete with a motor that does not quit. Admittedly, he has an injury history, but he has a ton of upside, projecting as a first rounder just a few years ago. I also think drafting a guy like Hardy is smart in these cost conscientious days because Hardy figures to be a much cheaper option than buying a big name in free agency.
In the end these are all great moves, but I feel that after the Panthers’ selected Clausen they sealed the deal for walking out of the draft as the biggest winners in the draft. Make no doubt about it, the Rams have a great quarterback in Sam Bradford, but seeing how Clausen and McCoy were available nearly 50 picks later, I would say they overpaid. Clausen has been touted as the most NFL ready quarterback playing in an NFL type offense at Notre Dame. I am a huge fan of his cocky, gunslinger attitude and I think it is exactly what Carolina needs right now. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Clausen is the future of the Carolina Panthers. I do not think there is another team that gained so much in one single pick. That makes the Cardiac Cats the undisputed winners of the NFL draft.
