Carolina Panthers: Defense the focus of 2018 NFL Draft
With six of their eight picks dedicated to the defense, it was clear that the Carolina Panthers were looking to retool in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The 2018 NFL Draft has come and gone. With months of review and analysis behind them, teams went forward to find the best options to fill immediate and needs of the future. The Carolina Panthers went into the draft with a list of needs and it seems like defense was the focus.
After seven rounds of selections it’s clear that the Panthers focused on the defensive side of the ball. This piece looks at each of those selections with a quick recap of how they may fit into one of the top defensive units in the NFL.
Carolina picked up three cornerbacks in this year’s draft. Much like they did during the 2016 draft, Carolina is still looking for a long term option at that position. Some will tell you that the defensive backfield has yet to recover from Josh Norman’s departure and, in many ways, statistics will support that idea. James Bradberry is the only individual that has grown into a full-time starter and hopefully one of these three men will develop as well to support that role.
Donte Jackson (LSU), Rashaan Gaulden (Tennessee), and Jermaine Carter (Maryland) were the three players that were selected by the Charlotte-based organization. Jackson was a top-rated prospect coming into the draft and Carolina picked him up with their second round selection. Gaulden was selected in the third and Carter in the fifth. When looking at Carter and Gaulden, what stands out the most is that both offer the size and physicality needed in the defensive backfield.
Bradberry is a cornerback that has proven he can cover many of the top receivers in the league. The addition of Jackson gives Carolina a corner threat with speed that can cover the slot and other players that look to stretch the field. Gaulden and Carter are both bigger men which gives them the opportunity to not only play as cornerbacks, but could help one of them develop into the safety position as well.
Marquis Haynes (Ole Miss) and Andre Smith (North Carolina) are the two linebackers that the Panthers picked up. The Panthers consistently have one of the best linebacker cores in the NFL; Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis and Shaq Thompson are expected to continue that trend. However, injuries (especially Kuechly’s string of concussion problems) show a need for depth at linebacker.
Like with many other draft picks Haynes and Smith have an upside in which they can become eventual options in the future. That future may be sooner rather than later with Davis planning to retire at the end of the 2018 season. Kuechly and Thompson have youth on their side, but Haynes and Smith may get called upon sometime during the 2018 season.
With their last pick the Panthers selected defensive tackle Kendrick Norton (Miami). The Panthers were successful in re-signing Julius Peppers to one more year after his exceptional 2017 season. Norton gives them some depth at that position, which is important as recent history has shown that injuries can quickly pile up. It will be interesting to see how Norton develops and how quickly his number may be called.
Next: Carolina Panthers: Donte Jackson can help rebuild secondary
Six of Carolina’s eight picks were dedicated to defense during the 2018 NFL Draft. Even though 2017 may have been a “down” year for this defensive unit, they were still one of the top performers in the league. These new pieces may help the need to rebuild this group and continue that trend into the future.