The number is 532. At first glance, it's a rather random set of digits that may not mean anything to many of you. Actually, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if some of you are already familiar with that particular number, and can tell me who it is associated with as it relates to the 2012 draft. But, how many of you could tell me the name of the player who already laid claim to these three significant digits approximately eleven years ago? If you know who I'm typing about, go ahead and pat yourself on the back because you may be the only one. Of course, I could be wrong, and I'm fine with that, because it would only prove the fact that the CSR community is littered with experts on the subject of Panthers' history. For those who know where I'm going with this post, you'll understand how history could repeat itself if our beloved team does indeed choose to take a chapter out of their own draft storybook and apply it on Thursday night. After the jump, I will reveal the identity of these "mystery men", and their connection to the number 532, along with other ties that bind the two.

Dan Morgan, meet Luke Kuechly, the man who may be given a chance to finish what you started here in Carolina. Besides the fact that both of these guys finished their college career with 532 tackles, they also received the Dick Butkus Award, the Chuck Bednarik award, and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. After breaking the total tackles record and being recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year in their respective conferences, they additionally earned Consensus All-American status in their final college season.

While the similarities are astonishingly uncanny, their are still some negligible differences. Kuechly's career tackle total was accomplished in three seasons, whereas Morgan's total was accumulated over four seasons. Even so, their likeness to one another is uncanny, and is even further evidenced by how well they compare when considering their height, weight, vertical, and forty. The only slightly significant separation among the two would be their bench press strength.

As it stands now, the Panthers are fast approaching the eleventh hour of the 2012 draft, and Luke Kuechly may be sitting there ripe for the picking just like Dan Morgan was when we selected him eleven years ago with the eleventh pick in the first round of the 2001 draft. But, if the Panthers were to pass on Kuechly, don't be surprised if he is snatched up with the twelfth pick by the Seattle Seahawks, where Dan Morgan is now a scout. Stranger things have happened.