RB Stewart Adds New Dimension to Panther Offense

This is the first of a series of posts where I review each of the Panthers 2008 draft picks and their potential impact on the 2008 season.

If you’re looking for a single sentence to describe Jonathan Stewart then consider the first sentence of this clip:

He has the size of a fullback, the strength of an offensive lineman and the quickness of a sprinter. Playing with a style that reminds pro scouts of Kansas City's Larry Johnson, Stewart proved, even through injuries, perfectly capable of handling the rushing load.

Others have compared him to Jamal Lewis in his prime. I think is a faster version of Lewis. Check out his high school track experience:

During his sophomore year, Stewart gained 1,575 yards on the ground in 2002 before breaking his left ankle. He also competed in track. He placed second in the 2005 state track 100-meter championships (11.17), in addition to anchoring school's 4x100-meter relay to a state title.

I really thought the toe injury would scare the conservative Panthers away. Fox and Hurney are really puts their jobs on the line with this pick. The worst case scenario for them is Stewart remains injury-bitten in his first season, but I can’t go there any further. I’m instead finding it hard not to get excited about seeing this guy run the ball in Panther blue. Consider the possibilities he adds to the offense. There is of course benefit of having the one-two punch of the power running of Stewart and the shifty speed of DeAngelo Williams. The defense will not be able to rest regardless of who is lined up behind Brad Hoover. Consider also the plays that could be run with both players in the backfield, something the Panthers rarely did with DeShaun Foster. Stewart blocks like a FB giving the defense a lot to worry about.

Consider the two RB set, side-by-side where the play could go in any direction. D-Will or Stewart between the tackles on a power run or trap. They could stretch either side or flare out in the flat. Stewart didn’t catch a lot of passes in college (49) but here’s a comment on his hands:

Has dependable hands and does not struggle extending for off-target throws (can pluck out-side his frame and adjust).

Consider too that he returns kick-offs which is what his first touch of the ball as a Panther will probably be. Here’s another key stat all Panthers fans should love:

Zero fumbles in his three-year college career that included over 550 touches.

His only negative is a history of ankle injuries in addition to the current issue with his toe. Thankfully he wouldn’t be expected to carry the load this season. That is unless he’s just too good to keep off the field. Now that would be a nice problem to have.  

Some people already think Stewart will start ahead of Williams. I seriously doubt that considering how HC John Fox favors his veteran players. The starting job coming out of TC will be D-Will’s to lose no matter how good Stewart looks. The Panthers will prefer to break him in slowly given his injury history, provided the Panther running game is producing. The Panthers start the season with three tough games. If the running game struggles I wouldn’t expect Fox to jump early to put in Stewart. There’s no need to think D-Will won’t average 4-5 yards a carry if he’s getting decent blocking. (We’ll talk more about that tomorrow night)