Happy Monday everyone! The greatest of all time took a break over the weekend, but now it's back as we continue the 1st round with two lineman on opposing sides of the ball- Jordan Gross and Mike Rucker.
After the jump please commence the discussion and remember to vote on who you think should move on.
Jordan Gross, OT
via media.scout.com
Statistics as a Panther: 120 games
Accolades: Pro Bowl (2008, 2010), All Pro (2008)
Since he was selected in the 2003 draft starting LT Jordan Gross has ensured the Panthers have had a clean QB as much as possible. Still regarded as one of the premier LTs in the NFL Gross is routinely named as one of the best linemen in the league. However, he's more than a paragon of good play on the field as he started his off-season charity kickball game, organized the Panthers' offseason workouts this year and has become one of the premier leaders for the Panthers.
Mike Rucker, DE
Statistics as a Panther: 139 games, 347 tackles, 55.5 sacks, 15 FF
Accolades: Pro Bowl (2003)
Mike Rucker was far more than 'the other guy' to Julius Peppers. Even in a lackluster 2001 season Rucker finished with 9 sacks, which is why it's rather unfair he doesn't really get the recognition he deserves as an elite pass rusher. When Rucker and Peppers bookended the line there were few QBs who could escape their clutches. Most impressive was his 2003 season when he finished the year with 58 tackles and 12 sacks. Now, Rucker continues to call Charlotte home and is a staple at area charity events.