Carolina Panthers- 2010 Draft Review

The Panthers draft was more lucky than good, but it they did find great value with their picks. Most analysts when grading a team's draft grade how smart they were with their picks. The Panthers were lucky, as they possessed the common sense to make every obvious choice they could make. The team got great value for their picks. I never saw David Gettis, but the combine suggested high upside (6'3, 4.47 40 yard dash), and decent potential that late in the draft. I never saw Armanti Edwards, but he was a pretty bad pick.

Jimmy Clausen

QB

Notre Dame

Clausen falling here has got to be the best value of any pick in the draft. Clausen makes great decisions with the football and he has exceptional throwing accuracy. He is also very productive, and he is an ideal fit for the Panthers offense, which is identical to the one at Notre Dame. I cannot believe that he fell this far, but it was great value for the Panthers.

Brandon LaFell

WR

Louisiana State

LaFell was solid value this at pick 78. He has great size, but he lacks speed and his production was mediocre at best this year (his production was probably poor because of poor quarterback play, though). But he has good size and separation ability. Steve Smith can't be the only receiver on the team, and LaFell's size is a perfect complement to Smith's speed. A decent pick here.

Eric Norwood

OLB

South Carolina

Norwood was a decent, albeit weird pick. Norwood is best for the 3-4 defense, as a rush linebacker. I was pretty surprised that a team that ran a 4-3 defense picked Norwood, but he was pretty good value this late in the draft. Norwood is instinctive, productive, and relentless in pursuit. But he is pretty short, he has mediocre strength, speed, and athleticism. An okay pick here.

Greg Hardy

DE

Mississippi

Hardy isn't very committed to the game of football. When he can keep his weight down (at the beginning of the season, he was listed at 260lbs, but now he is a good 280lbs), he has legit first round talent with a 4.61 40 yard dash and the strength to be a great 4-3 pass rushing end, with a little Dwight Freeney inside of him. When he doesn't feel like putting effort onto the field, he isn't a prospect worth drafting. If the Panthers think they can motivate him, he could be a solid player. A pretty good pick here.

Tony Pike

QB

Cincinnati

Pike is simply a system quarterback who has stats that are only good because he played under Brian Kelly. Truly, he doesn't have a lot of arm strength, his accuracy is average at best, and he is quite susceptible to injuries. But he does make pretty good decisions with the football. Pretty good value this late in the draft