Potential Impact Rookies

We need playmakers on offense! Who would you guys want in a Panther uniform in that capacity from the 2003 class? Speed kills (and scores TDs) and Denver, Pittsburgh, and New York drafted more points per game in Portis, Randle El, and Shockey.

Here are some potential equivalents to the ’02 super rookies -

Lee Suggs might be the next best potential Portis Clone with MaGahee out. He’s not worth taking at #9 and his knee is a concern but would Suggs be worth trading down for since he has Portis like speed and moves?

Seneca Wallace may not get drafted until the 3rd (or later) because he does not project as a QB at the next level. He IS shifty and fast enough to be a WR/KR though. Could he be this year’s version of Randle El?

Teyo Johnson may not be a blocker but he might be as dangerous as Shockey as a receiving threat. I know we want a “complete” TE to replace Walls but should we draft Johnson as the weapon he figures to be?



We already have Steve Smith and Dee Brown (and maybe Bates) but do any of the following rooks figure to be an upgrade and one of THIS years impact game-breakers worth picking up in the 4th (or later)?

Deep threat WRs -
Shawn McDonald
Terrance Edwards
Anquan Bolden

Shifty Midget RBs -
Quentin Griffith
Avon Cobourne

USC track team -
Kareem Kelly
Sultan McMullough
Justin Fargas

 

I want Quentin Griffin.

 

Has Boldin declared? I haven't heard anything yet???

I like Griffin, as well, but he doesn't really fit the Panthers offense. He's more of a shifty, third down type of guy. We've got Brown for that role.

 

Only reason people don't see him as every down is size.

Priest Holmes is 5'8".

 

I'd love Griffin too. He or Avon Coborne.

 

Isn't he just the fantasy coaches wet dream...

 

True, but Griffin is not a guy that fits a power running game. He does run well between the tackles, in a spread out offense. Carolina's offense is more compact. Griffin wouldn't fair well in this offense IMO.

 

Griffin's not that guy. Being 5'8, I can deal with that if you have vision and a fairly compact frame and powerful legs (as well as speed). Onterrio has that, Avon has that, and they've both shown as guys who can get outside but their bread and butter's still inside no matter what their height is.

But Griffin, listed as 5'7 and probably measuring even less, he's still just 190. His legs don't impress me as powerful, he doesn't keep his legs churning to move the pile. It's hard to say how his vision or burst would be when everyone's that much bigger. I'm not going to cannonize him just because he's short but still plays. I like my backs, preferably, bigger than Cuda.


As for my impact guys, I don't see many. No one really jumps out with great speed outside the top half of the first round, and all the guys that'll time fast I can't hype as game breaking otherwise. Other than Suggs, Bailey, and Newman, no defender has that speed. It depends on who you talk to as to whether or not Henderson will have sideline speed. Onterrio, Colbourne could have some burst after breaking tackles. Lloyd, if coming out, would have some deep speed. Certainly there are guys built on speed that don't do much else, but the receiver strength seems to be more in the posession role suddenly.

And that overall seems to be the role of a lot of these draftees. There's a lot of solid contribution out there, not as many risk cases.