(SportsNetwork.com) – When your offensive tackles from a year ago were Byron
Bell and Mike Remmers, that’s a pretty good indication you need an upgrade and
the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers should have some options at No. 25
overall.
It might come down to a what-flavor-do-you-like mentality with prospects like
Florida’s D.J. Humphries and Miami-Florida’s Ereck Flowers. Humphries is more
athletic and projects to the left side while Flowers is a safer, road-grader
type.
Carolina should be able to find adequate skill position help later because the
draft is deeper there. Defensively the top need is in the secondary but that
pales in comparison to keeping Cam Newton upright.
2014 Record: 7-8-1
Top Needs: OT, WR, DB, RB
First Three Picks: No. 25, No. 57, No. 89
Number of Selections: 9 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7)
RECENT FIRST ROUND HISTORY: 2014 – Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State); 2013 –
Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah); 2012 – Luke Kuechly (MLB, Boston College); 2011 –
Cam Newton (QB, Auburn); 2010 – none; 2009 – none; 2008 – Jonathan Stewart
(RB, Oregon), Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh); 2007 – Jon Beason (LB, Miami-
Florida); 2006 – DeAngelo Williams (RB, Memphis); 2005 – Thomas Davis (S/LB,
Georgia)
