Grade the Panthers 2009 Draft

How well did they do?

 

mine was an A- on first instinct.

The first three picks were excellent. I get the Goodman pick but I'll have to see it in action (and I was the one suggesting a RB/KR inthe 4th). Fiammetta is the JFG, and more. We came away faster, stronger, better. I'll take it.

And, if you look at it, on O we built from strength. On D, we had to build. So what's the best part of our D? LBs. We built around that. We're definitely better on 3rd down. I'm still unconvinced how we're going to do leading up to 3rd, but we'll see.

 

I gave it an A. Considering we had no first rounder to work with we got several guys who will help the team right away, or at least several guys who should I really like it.

 

Like most the picks. Little unsure if Irvin will be able to impact. We needed a body there so hopefully he'll help us out.
Liked the Martin pick, but its gonna be interesting to see how he converts to CB full time.

 

Pat Yas from ESPN:

Most surprising move

Carolina trading its 2010 first-round pick to get Brown in the second round this year. That's a gutsy move, but it also is risky. It worked out well last year when the Panthers traded this year's first-round pick to get offensive tackle Jeff Otah. But you can't go without first-round picks for too long without sacrificing talent. But there still is a lot of time between now and next year's draft and I'm guessing the Panthers probably will try to parlay defensive end Julius Peppers into a first-round pick (and more) after this season.

File this away

How many guys does it take to replace Nick Goings? Apparently, two. Goings wasn't a name, but he had a very nice run with the Panthers as a role player, getting time at running back, fullback and on special teams. The Panthers released him in a salary-cap move after last season, but they recognized that created several voids.

That's why they went out and used fourth-round picks on Texas A&M's Mike Goodson and Syracuse fullback Tony Fiammetta. Goodson has some return skills and, like Goings, can catch the ball out of the backfield and provide some depth behind DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Fiammetta is a blocker and might be able to provide some relief for Brad Hoover.

 

Kiper graded panthers draft a C.

 

I gave them a B. Maybe should have been a B+ now that I think about it a little more. Considering no first round pick I think they did a solid job on filling in the spots we had real needs. If Brown turns out as well as Otah has trading the first in 2010 won't be too bad.

 

I graded it a B. Part of that is the whole Peppers thing, which isnt really fair, but had we been able to move him we could have gotten another couple of picks and that would have increased my rating.

Of course from what I have read he never has signed, but I am nit picking I guess. I am uncomfortable about the situation in general and now another draft with no 1st isnt thrilling overall.

They guys they picked seem to be solid and they didnt seem to make any boneheaded picks, so there is that.

 

Another reason to think we did very well. Kiper is wrong more than he is right.

 

Should wait until at least 2012 before grading this draft.