"Official NFL Draft Thread"

[Epitome]

With the draft being tomorrow, what are everyone's thoughts? Who goes first? Where does Kyle/Ian end up?

 

[Epitome]

Carolina Panthers narrow top pick to Cam Newton, Marcell Dareus, two others, sources say - ESPN

Ok, I'll get it started. Who goes #1. I think they have to go with Green. Their WR play was horrid last year and its been said that S. Smith cleared out his locker.

 

[IrishLax]

Carolina Panthers narrow top pick to Cam Newton, Marcell Dareus, two others, sources say - ESPN

Ok, I'll get it started. Who goes #1. I think they have to go with Green. Their WR play was horrid last year and its been said that S. Smith cleared out his locker.

Panthers need to trade down. Seriously. If they pick Cam Newton I will LOL.

I love that the Redskins have the #10 pick... should be a perfect slot to grab Julio Jones.

 

[Rocket's Rocket Fan]

I really couldn't guess who will go number 1. Carolina has a lot of needs.

I'm pretty excited about my Browns picking at 6 plenty of good players there, and a couple teams below them that could trade up to grab a QB. I wouldn't be opposed to the trade down to pick up more picks.

 

[rikkitikki08]

Taking cam newton would easily put the carolina panthers back into the lottery next season. Talk about being counter productive as a franchise

 

[Rocket's Rocket Fan]

Taking cam newton would easily put the carolina panthers back into the lottery next season. Talk about being counter productive as a franchise

I'm with you. I'm far from sold with Jimmy for them but I think if they draft Cam it would be a big mistake.

 

[Epitome]

A buddy of mine brought up a good point at work today. He said Ron Rivera would not take such a gamble as to draft Cam because it would define his legacy as a coach if Cam flopped. He also said that being safe and going with Darius is probably a good thing.

 

[TDHeysus]

Taking cam newton would easily put the carolina panthers back into the lottery next season. Talk about being counter productive as a franchise

if you saw that Jon Gruden QB camp thing on ESPN, then you know that Cam Newton will not be a NFL qb for long. dude didnt even want to get up to diagram, much less explain the intricacies of an offensive play. by contrast, if you saw Ryan Mallett, that dude knew everything about a given play and didnt hesitate to jump up and diagram a play for Gruden. and then told gruden, without being prompted, how the audibles would work given any number of defensive lineups. Mallett might be a yahoo off the field, but he seemed to have a grasp of the X's and O's. I thought Mallett was impressive, and Cam Newton was an embarrasment.

How long will it take Cam Newton to discovery that he wont be able to just 'tuck it and run' in the NFL? How long will he last without taking the snap from center....red flags for newton, i'm talking JaMarcus Russel size red flags!!!!!

 

[Rocket's Rocket Fan]

if you saw that Jon Gruden QB camp thing on ESPN, then you know that Cam Newton will not be a NFL qb for long. dude didnt even want to get up to diagram, much less explain the intricacies of an offensive play. by contrast, if you saw Ryan Mallett, that dude knew everything about a given play and didnt hesitate to jump up and diagram a play for Gruden. and then told gruden, without being prompted, how the audibles would work given any number of defensive lineups. Mallett might be a yahoo off the field, but he seemed to have a grasp of the X's and O's. I thought Mallett was impressive, and Cam Newton was an embarrasment.

How long will it take Cam Newton to discovery that he wont be able to just 'tuck it and run' in the NFL? How long will he last without taking the snap from center....red flags for newton, i'm talking JaMarcus Russel size red flags!!!!!

I saw the QB camp show too. The fact that he couldn't even recall an Auburn play name was a huge problem to me, and the fact that he just seemed disinterested in what Gruden had to say, hardly ever looked at him when Gruden was talking to him.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

This QB class is horrible. Cam Newton is the next Vince Young, Blaine Gabbert is just downright unimpressive, Ryan Mallett does cocaine, and Colin Kaepernick, Andy Dalton, and Christian Ponder would all be 3rd or 4th round picks in any other draft. Jake Locker is the only one I think can be a solid NFL starter. Panthers should go with AJ Green to give Clausen a weapon if he pans out and if not, let Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley have an elite receiver.

 

[Ironman8]

This QB class is horrible. Cam Newton is the next Vince Young, Blaine Gabbert is just downright unimpressive, Ryan Mallett does cocaine, and Colin Kaepernick, Andy Dalton, and Christian Ponder would all be 3rd or 4th round picks in any other draft. Jake Locker is the only one I think can be a solid NFL starter. Panthers should go with AJ Green to give Clausen a weapon if he pans out and if not, let Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley have an elite receiver.

I agree 100%, Locker would be the QB I would want in this class, if I had to take one. Newton will fall in between VY and Jamarcus Russell (and that is not just because he is black). Ryan Mallet and Gabbert are both overrated IMO, and are being hyped up because they are the best options in a weak class.

Defensive line will dominate the first round, and deservedly so. If I am the Panthers, my wish list would be (1) Trade down, (2) Pick Peterson, (3) Pick Green, and (4) Pick Dareus.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

If Carolina picks Newton I will feel for all Panther fans.. Nowww, if the Broncos pick Pat Peterson, how nasty of a corner duo would Champ Bailey and PP be???

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

What if the Bengals get Peterson? Leon Hall, Jonathan Joseph, and Patrick Peterson = the best corner group in the past 10 years.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Panthers need to trade down. Seriously. If they pick Cam Newton I will LOL.

I love that the Redskins have the #10 pick... should be a perfect slot to grab Julio Jones.

The rookie pay-scale has made this impossible. I doubt anyone would even do it if Luck (or another clear-cut #1 guy) was in the draft.

 

[IrishLax]

The rookie pay-scale has made this impossible. I doubt anyone would even do it if Luck (or another clear-cut #1 guy) was in the draft.

Normally true but this is why this is a unique case:

Because the Panthers have Jimmy Clausen they could easily package Clausen + #1 pick to a team like Arizona, Washington or even maybe Cinci for their pick + their second rounder + late round pick/future pick. That way they can grab a QB in the top 10 picks (and frankly there is NOT much of a difference between Gabbert, Newton, Locker and Mallet... all have tons of upside as well as tons of risk) and add more picks to get more new talent.

All of this is contingent on a team needing a QB being willing to take Clausen and give up multiple draft picks. Will it happen? Probably not, but the Panthers better be trying their *** off. If they take Cam Newton #1 overall that means they threw away a second rounder last year and will be awful for the foreseeable future. They need receivers, lots of defensive players and upgrades across the OL. Drafting a QB doesn't solve any of that.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Normally true but this is why this is a unique case:

Because the Panthers have Jimmy Clausen they could easily package Clausen + #1 pick to a team like Arizona, Washington or even maybe Cinci for their pick + their second rounder + late round pick/future pick. That way they can grab a QB in the top 10 picks (and frankly there is NOT much of a difference between Gabbert, Newton, Locker and Mallet... all have tons of upside as well as tons of risk) and add more picks to get more new talent.

All of this is contingent on a team needing a QB being willing to take Clausen and give up multiple draft picks. Will it happen? Probably not, but the Panthers better be trying their *** off. If they take Cam Newton #1 overall that means they threw away a second rounder last year and will be awful for the foreseeable future. They need receivers, lots of defensive players and upgrades across the OL. Drafting a QB doesn't solve any of that.

I'm sure Carolina would love to be rid of the burden that the #1 pick has become, but they will find no takers because nobody (especially the suitors, aka bad teams that are cheap) wants to ink a huuuge contract with an unknown commodity such as Cam Newton. QBs are the only position worth trading up to the number one spot for, and since the crop is so weak this year, I am assuming what is already a virtually impossible pick to trade has become a defnitely impossible one.

 

[NDinL.A.]

if you saw that Jon Gruden QB camp thing on ESPN, then you know that Cam Newton will not be a NFL qb for long. dude didnt even want to get up to diagram, much less explain the intricacies of an offensive play. by contrast, if you saw Ryan Mallett, that dude knew everything about a given play and didnt hesitate to jump up and diagram a play for Gruden. and then told gruden, without being prompted, how the audibles would work given any number of defensive lineups. Mallett might be a yahoo off the field, but he seemed to have a grasp of the X's and O's. I thought Mallett was impressive, and Cam Newton was an embarrasment.

How long will it take Cam Newton to discovery that he wont be able to just 'tuck it and run' in the NFL? How long will he last without taking the snap from center....red flags for newton, i'm talking JaMarcus Russel size red flags!!!!!

So true. If Carolina takes him they will rue the day IMO. I just don't think he can think like an NFL quarterback. There's no play called "36" in the NFL LOL. Just don't think Cam has it mentally to be a successful NFL QB.

My favorite exchange from the Gruden interview, besides the part where Gruden asked Cam to dictate to him a play from the Auburn playbook in which Cam hysterically said that Gruden was 'putting him on the spot' (imagine that, asking a QB to say one their plays. My 6th graders could do that but for Cam, reciting '36" was tough), was this:

Gruden: "How do you handle all that criticism and negativity that's out there?"

Cam: "I use the analogy of a simple gun, and you need ammunition to be able to use the gun right..."

Gruden: (in a voice sounding like he's giving Cam an out to use a less violent/graphic analogy) "You use......say that again."

Cam: (not taking the cue, just slowing down as he talks this time and explaining it like he was talking to a 5th grader): "A GUN, right, I mean I know it's a violent (looking for the word) a violent....symbol, but ummm, I'm that, and the ammunition is my criticism."

Great analogy Cam! I just don't think he can think like an NFL QB must think. Not buying him at all, and if Carolina picks him they'll get everything they deserve.

 

[IrishLax]

I'm sure Carolina would love to be rid of the burden that the #1 pick has become, but they will find no takers because nobody (especially the suitors, aka bad teams that are cheap) wants to ink a huuuge contract with an unknown commodity such as Cam Newton. QBs are the only position worth trading up to the number one spot for, and since the crop is so weak this year, I am assuming what is already a virtually impossible pick to trade has become a defnitely impossible one.

But a guy like Von Miller or Patrick Peterson seems like a slam dunk. Again, it's all about a team wanting a QB (Clausen) AND a "slam dunk" (is there such a thing?) guy like Peterson, Von Miller or Dareus with that #1 pick. It's doable... just not easily.

It's much easier for the Panthers to just simply not draft Cam Newton lol

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Panthers must get a WR.

Let Clausen play a year.

Doesn't work?

Get a QB next year.

ALA Bill Polian, getting Marvin Harrison the year before Peyton Manning.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Panthers must get a WR.

Let Clausen play a year.

Doesn't work?

Get a QB next year.

ALA Bill Polian, getting Marvin Harrison the year before Peyton Manning.

Harrison was selected in 1996 by Jim Irsay, not Bill Polian. Polian came in 1998 and took Peyton.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

My first thought of cam going to the panthers is a split locker room. that is the last thing i would want if i was a head coach.

 

[josejose4482]

How funny will it be..Carolina drafts 3 QB's in 3 years?? Assuming they're going to draft Scam and probably be the worst team again. Can you say Matt Millen..how he drafted all WR's.

 

[rtrn2glory]

How funny will it be..Carolina drafts 3 QB's in 3 years?? Assuming they're going to draft Scam and probably be the worst team again. Can you say Matt Millen..how he drafted all WR's.

great point...matt millen was absolutely and still is terrible.

im hoping rudy gets stolen by a solid team with a TE need and plays for a contender, maybe Baltimore even though they have Heap, a two TE punch Rudy and Heap would be lethal, although that would probably force him to the 2nd round or maybe a late first to atlanta with gonzalez (who is aging) thinking the same thing.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

My first thought of cam going to the panthers is a split locker room. that is the last thing i would want if i was a head coach.

And by split, you mean all of it on one side around Cam, and Clausen on the other all by himself. Say what you want about Cam, he really is a charismatic kid that a team can rally around. He will have Steve Smith and Jordan Gross's support from day one IMO.

 

[mgriff]

Whoever drafts Cam Newton is going to make me LOL, heartily. Honestly, that is my major reason for tuning in--to see who drafts him and makes the huge blunder.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Harrison was selected in 1996 by Jim Irsay, not Bill Polian. Polian came in 1998 and took Peyton.

My bad, I was going odd memory I could have sworn Marvin was a year before.

Thanks for the correction.

But WR before QB still makes sense to me.

 

[Epitome]

And by split, you mean all of it on one side around Cam, and Clausen on the other all by himself. Say what you want about Cam, he really is a charismatic kid that a team can rally around. He will have Steve Smith and Jordan Gross's support from day one IMO.

I don't completely agree. These are grown men that he has to gel with. I'm not sure they'll be too impressed if he walks into the locker room and the only play he can remember is "36"

 

[ACamp1900]

I have said for years I would never take a QB in the high first round... ever... i don't care if they might be Peyton Manning or John Elway... how many QBs have been complete flops that were just as highly rated or close to as either of those two coming out??? MANY, MANY, MANY... it's such a crap shoot and just as many great QBs have come from the late first round and beyond...

I already stated that i would shop this pick if I were Carolina and build the interior throughout the draft... I like Fairley more that Newton from an Auburn standpoint honestly... and if I couldn't trade the pick I'd take the DB from LSU... My first rule as a GM in the draft would be to never ever throw huge first round money at a QB... ever... and sorry Newton is far from a confident pick imo, for all the reasons already stated and more... in fact I don't like a single one of these QBs... at least not in the first two rounds... year of the QB my butt...

 

[IrishLax]

And by split, you mean all of it on one side around Cam, and Clausen on the other all by himself. Say what you want about Cam, he really is a charismatic kid that a team can rally around. He will have Steve Smith and Jordan Gross's support from day one IMO.

He's also an arrogant idiot that NO ONE knows how he will react when he faces adversity, failure or losing. Yeah, everyone loves him now that he's on top of hte world, but an attitude like his on a losing team quickly becomes a cancer.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

I just think jimmy went to battle with a group of guys on a pretty bad team. he had to earn some respect in that locker room