I ran into a mock draft that has the Panthers taking Kansas St. QB Josh Freeman and I wondered what the Panthers would do if the big QB should actually fall that far. I agree that the chances of him actually falling to #59 are very slim, heck he might not make it past Tampa Bay at #19. At the same time he appears to be the only QB in the Panthers draft range that could actually unseat Jake Delhomme in the next season or two from his perch at the top of the depth chart. So I thought it was worth exploring. Again, we have to ignore all the experts that have Freeman going in the first round (Remember Dan Conner was expected to go late 1^st round and slid to the 3^rd round).

Here's what our own Mocking the Draft has to report on Freeman:

Josh Freeman

6'6, 250 pounds | Kansas State | Quarterback

Strengths: Incredible arm strength. Can make just about any deep throw. Puts a nice touch on passes and knows when to take some heat off throws. Great size and can take a hit. Never had the best offensive line protecting him and was pressured frequently. Showed during his junior season that he can be mobile rushing for 14 touchdowns. Cut down on his interceptions ever season but still needs to improve his decision making. Played in a pro-style offense, albeit mostly from the shotgun.

 Weaknesses: Not quite ready to be a starting NFL quarterback because of his lack of technique and proper footwork. Rarely steps into his throws. Holds the ball too low when he drops back which nullifies any kind of quick release he would have. Deep accuracy is somewhat questionable. Took the majority of his snaps from the shotgun. Struggles when he has to throw on the move.

 Final word: Freeman is an incredibly intriguing prospect. He has a powerful arm and good touch. However, he is very mechanically flawed and will need a patient quarterbacks coach. Threw 34 interceptions in 35 career games, which is troublesome. Still, some team will fall in love with his physical tools. At times his play is reminiscent of Ben Roethlisberger, but he's been too inconsistent to chance a first-round pick on.

Here's a report on Freeman' performance at the scouting combine: 

Second-tier quarterbacks, Kansas State's Josh Freeman and Ball State's Nate Davis, were less than stellar in passing drills.

So what do you think Panther fans, would Josh Freeman be your next Panther QB if he is there at #59?

On a side note, SB Nation has started its official mock draft and the first three picks have been submitted with a slight surprise at the top (but I can't reveal them yet). The first post with the first three picks is coming later this week so check it out at Mocking the Draft. I'm not scheduled to make my pick for the Panthers until around April 10^th so keep an eye out as I will post for suggestions when the time draws near.