Carolina Panthers dropped the ball drafting Shaq Thompson

By Luis Tirado Jr. | May 3, 2015

With the No. 25 in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected linebacker Shaq Thompson. It was a pretty weird decision to make considering that their main team need was to bolster their offensive line, add another offensive weapon for quarterback Cam Newton and then find some diamonds in the rough. In my opinion however, the Panthers truly dropped the ball when they drafted Thompson in the first-round since he was actually projected as a mid-round draft pick and rightfully so.

At 6’0″ and 228 pounds, Thompson is an uncertain prospect since he’s literally played in a ton of different positions without having stability in a specific one to excel at. He’s versatile but the problem is, he’s not exactly the game-changing talent they needed to draft in the first-round. They would have been better advised to take the top offensive lineman available, maybe someone like Jake Fisher or Donovan Smith.

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I even wrote an article making the case for the Panthers to actually draft Fisher since he would have filled an immediate need nicely heading into next season. Instead, the Panthers decided to take Thompson who doesn’t exactly have earth-shattering numbers to warrant such a high pick.

In his collegiate career at Washington, Thompson contributed 233 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He also spent some time at running back in which he contributed 456 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Thompson even saw time on special teams, returning kickoff and punt returns for a combined 54 yards.

I’m not sure what the Panthers plan to do with Thompson but ultimately utilize his versatility to fill multiple positions if need be. He seems like more of a developmental player that can do a little bit of everything but not do well in a particular niche.

Of course I could be wrong and the decision makers that made him a part of the Panthers see something I don’t. Maybe he’ll turn into a tackling machine and surprise the football masses next season but a part of me just thinks that they reached for a player they could have easily gotten in the middle rounds of the draft and used it instead for one of their aforementioned team needs.

According to Charlotte Observer’s Jonathan Jones, the Panthers plan to unleash Thompson next season as a weakside linebacker. Since they’ll be running a 4-3 defense this upcoming season, it’ll be interesting to see how he holds up once he transitions into the pros.

Jan 2, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies linebacker Shaq Thompson (7) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the 2015 Cactus Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium. Oklahoma State defeated Washington 30-22. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a whole different world now since he’ll have no choice but to focus on strict assignments and defensive schemes specifically tailored to his strengths. From what I’ve gathered, Thompson’s athleticism will keep him getting more reps than usual to hopefully pan out for the best.

His attitude is a solid one since out of all the interviews I’ve seen him with the media, he seems of high character and possesses integrity. Hopefully his strong work ethic and athleticism will get him to contribute heavily when his opportunity to shine comes with the Panthers.

Overall, I think the Panthers should have gone in a different direction than Thompson but I can see why they didn’t want to pass him up due to all that he can do on any given notice. Hopefully it turns out in their favor as next season, they will look to pick up where they left off last year and become a top contender in the NFC South.

Next: Has Cam Newton been worthy of first overall pick?

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