Somewhere between trying to research the top 300 prospects and seeing the same five prospects mocked over and over, I have tried to whittle it down to 70 players for those interested beyond the first round. In my pre-draft post last year I covered the first two rounds and landed both picks correctly so why not go for 7! (Because that is shear luck, that's why.) So this year, presented below are 10 unique draft scenarios that combine the Carolina Panthers top needs with player value. In the following 10 draft scenarios, some players fall and others may be considered reaches but no player is represented in more than one draft and I think all are feasible. The initial number is how I have ranked the prospects and blue highlighted names are players that the Panthers have shown particular interest in. Which of the first five mock drafts do you think is most likely?
MOCK 1 - My prediction | MOCK 6 | |||||
49 | Jordan Matthews | WR | 38 | Jace Amaro | TE | |
63 | Ju'Wuan James | ROT | 70 | Jack Mewhort | ROT | |
82 | Stanley Jean-Baptiste | CB | 99 | Loucheiz Purifoy | CB | |
125 | Adrian Hubbard | OLB | 102 | Dri Archer | WR | |
123 | Kevin Norwood | WR | 150 | Aaron Lynch | DE | |
170 | Gabe Ikard | C | 172 | Tre Boston | FS | |
195 | Stephen Morris | QB | 180 | Walt Aikens | CB | |
MOCK 2 - Lee/Bitonio | MOCK 7 | |||||
27 | Marqise Lee | WR | 37 | Cyrus Kouandjio | LOT | |
44 | Joel Bitonio | LOT | 58 | Jarvis Landry | WR | |
100 | Jared Abbrederis | WR | 78 | Pierre Desir | CB | |
106 | Craig Loston | SS | 133 | Ed Stinson | DE | |
143 | Dontae Johnson | CB | 151 | Devin Street | WR | |
174 | Larry Webster | DE | 175 | Crockett Gillmore | TE | |
181 | Bryan Stork | C | 199 | Corey Linsley | C | |
MOCK 3 - Hogmollies | MOCK 8 | |||||
35 | Morgan Moses | LOT | 22 | Kyle Fuller | CB | |
61 | Trent Murphy | OLB/DE | 52 | Troy Niklas | TE | |
79 | Cody Latimer | WR | 86 | Brandon Thomas | LOT/G | |
124 | Seantrel Henderson | ROT | 90 | Bruce Ellington | WR | |
158 | Ross Cockrell | CB | 121 | Brock Vereen | FS | |
165 | Joe Don Duncan | TE | 168 | Cassius Marsh | DE | |
200 | Mike Campanaro | WR | 183 | Morgan Breslin | OLB | |
MOCK 4 - Cooks falls | MOCK 9 | |||||
25 | Brandin Cooks | WR | 43 | Davante Adams | WR | |
54 | Marcus Roberson | CB | 59 | Antonio Richardson | LOT | |
94 | Cameron Fleming | ROT | 80 | Telvin Smith | OLB | |
116 | Jackson Jeffcoat | DE | 130 | Josh Huff | WR | |
147 | Charles Leno | L/ROT | 171 | Aaron Colvin | CB | |
176 | Brett Smith | QB | 177 | Tajh Boyd | QB | |
185 | L'Damain Washington | WR | 192 | Wesley Johnson | OL | |
MOCK 5 - Unpopular Value | MOCK 10 | |||||
32 | Jason Verrett | CB | 34 | Kelvin Benjamin | WR | |
57 | Donte Moncrief | WR | 60 | Marcus Martin | C | |
87 | Billy Turner | ROT | 83 | Paul Richardson | WR | |
136 | James Hurst | LOT/G | 113 | Antone Exum | CB | |
152 | Marqueston Huff | FS | 135 | Christian Kirksey | OLB | |
159 | Taylor Hart | DE/DT | 173 | Matt Patchan | LOT | |
191 | Travis Carrie | CB | 182 | Josh Mauro | DE |
And finally, here are a few basic stats for the mocked players in one location. I hope you find it helpful in your pre-draft journey. Mock away, panther fans!
COLE'S RANK | Name | Pos | School | Ht | Wt | Arms | Hands | 40 yd dash | bench press | 3 cone drill |
ROUND 1 27 |
Marqise Lee | WR | USC | 6'0 | 192 | 31.8 | 9.5 | 4.52 | X | X |
25 | Brandin Cooks | WR | Oregon State | 5'10 | 189 | 30.8 | 9.6 | 4.33 | 16 | 6.76 |
32 | Jason Verrett | CB | TCU | 5'9 | 189 | 30.6 | 9.3 | 4.38 | X | 6.69 |
22 | Kyle Fuller | CB | Virginia Tech | 6'0 | 190 | 32.9 | 9.4 | 4.49 | 12 | 6.90 |
34 | Kelvin Benjamin | WR | Florida State | 6'5 | 240 | 34.9 | 10.3 | 4.61 | 13 | 7.33 |
38 | Jace Amaro | TE | Texas Tech | 6'5 | 265 | 34.0 | 9.0 | 4.74 | 28 | X |
37 | Cyrus Kouandjio | LOT | Alabama | 6'7 | 322 | 35.6 | 10.3 | 5.59 | 21 | 7.71 |
35 | Morgan Moses | LOT | Virginia | 6'6 | 314 | 35.4 | 9.9 | 5.35 | X | 7.93 |
49 | Jordan Matthews | WR | Vanderbilt | 6'3 | 212 | 33.3 | 10.4 | 4.46 | 21 | |
43 | Davante Adams | WR | Fresno State | 6'1 | 212 | 32.6 | 9.0 | 4.56 | 14 | 6.82 |
ROUND 2 59 |
Antonio Richardson | LOT | Tennessee | 6'6 | 336 | 35.0 | 10.3 | 5.30 | 36 | X |
52 | Troy Niklas | TE | Notre Dame | 6'6 | 270 | 34.1 | 10.0 | X | 27 | X |
44 | Joel Bitonio | LOT | Nevada | 6'4 | 302 | 33.9 | 9.6 | 4.97 | 22 | 7.37 |
58 | Jarvis Landry | WR | LSU | 5'11 | 205 | 31.8 | 10.3 | 4.77 | 12 | X |
60 | Marcus Martin | C | USC | 6'3 | 310 | 34 | 10.0 | X | 23 | X |
63 | Ju'Wuan James | ROT | Tennessee | 6'6 | 311 | 35.0 | 9.9 | 5.34 | 22 | 7.42 |
57 | Donte Moncrief | WR | Ole Miss | 6'2 | 221 | 32.4 | 9.1 | 4.40 | 13 | 7.02 |
54 | Marcus Roberson | CB | Florida | 6'0 | 191 | 31.0 | 9.3 | 4.61 | 8 | 6.84 |
61 | Trent Murphy | OLB/DE | Stanford | 6'6 | 261 | 33.9 | 11.1 | 4.86 | 19 | 6.78 |
70 | Jack Mewhort | ROT | Ohio State | 6'6 | 309 | 34.0 | 9.8 | 5.37 | 28 | 7.79 |
ROUND 3 83 |
Paul Richardson | WR | Colorado | 6'0 | 175 | 32.6 | 8.9 | 4.40 | X | 7.09 |
78 | Pierre Desir | CB | Lindenwood | 6'1 | 198 | 33.0 | 9.6 | 4.59 | 11 | 6.86 |
86 | Brandon Thomas | LOT/G | Clemson | 6'4 | 316 | 34.8 | 10.5 | 5.09 | 35 | 8.13 |
80 | Telvin Smith | OLB | Florida State | 6'2 | 218 | 32.5 | 10.3 | 4.52 | X | X |
87 | Billy Turner | ROT | North Dakota St | 6'5 | 315 | 34.0 | 10.0 | 5.16 | 25 | 7.92 |
82 | Stanley Jean-Baptiste | CB | Nebraska | 6'3 | 218 | 32.4 | 8.6 | 4.61 | 13 | X |
94 | Cameron Fleming | ROT | Stanford | 6'5 | 323 | 34.0 | 9.9 | 5.28 | 26 | 8.24 |
99 | Loucheiz Purifoy | CB | Florida | 5'11 | 190 | 32.8 | 8.5 | 4.61 | 6 | X |
90 | Bruce Ellington | WR | South Carolina | 5'9 | 197 | 31.0 | 9.6 | 4.45 | 15 | 6.67 |
100 | Jared Abbrederis | WR | Wisconson | 6'1 | 195 | 31.4 | 9.6 | 4.50 | 4 | 6.80 |
102 |
Dri Archer | WR | Kent State | 5'8 | 173 | 31.0 | 8.9 | 4.26 | 20 | 6.86 |
79 | Cody Latimer | WR | Indiana | 6'3 | 215 | 32.6 | 9.6 | X | 23 | X |
ROUND 4 106 |
Craig Loston | SS | LSU | 6'1 | 217 | 30.8 | 9.8 | 4.65 | 12 | 7.15 |
124 | Seantrel Henderson | ROT | Miami | 6'7 | 331 | 34.6 | 10.5 | 5.04 | X | 8.15 |
130 | Josh Huff | WR | Oregon | 5'11 | 206 | 31.3 | 9.4 | 4.51 | 14 | X |
116 | Jackson Jeffcoat | DE | Texas | 6'3 | 247 | 33.9 | 9.6 | 4.63 | 18 | 6.97 |
136 | James Hurst | LOT/G | North Carolina | 6'5 | 296 | 33.8 | 10.3 | X | X | X |
125 | Adrian Hubbard | OLB | Alabama | 6'5 | 260 | 34.5 | 9.3 | 4.69 | X | X |
113 | Antone Exum | CB | Virginia Tech | 6'0 | 213 | 31.6 | 9.6 | 4.59 | 17 | 7.05 |
133 | Ed Stinson | DE | Alabama | 6'3 | 287 | 33.8 | 9.4 | X | X | X |
ROUND 5 121 |
Brock Vereen | FS | Minnesota | 6'0 | 199 | 30.0 | 8.3 | 4.47 | 25 | 6.90 |
123 | Kevin Norwood | WR | Alabama | 6'2 | 198 | 32.1 | 10.0 | 4.48 | 8 | 6.68 |
150 | Aaron Lynch | DE | South Florida | 6'5 | 249 | 34.0 | 10.3 | X | 18 | X |
171 | Aaron Colvin | CB | Oklahoma | 5'11 | 177 | 31.0 | 9.3 | X | X | X |
135 | Christian Kirksey | OLB | Iowa | 6'2 | 233 | 32.4 | 9.4 | 4.59 | 16 | X |
158 | Ross Cockrell | CB | Duke | 6'0 | 191 | 29.9 | 9.0 | 4.56 | 10 | 7.28 |
147 | Charles Leno | L/ROT | Boise State | 6'4 | 303 | 34.4 | 10.1 | X | 21 | 7.57 |
151 | Devin Street | WR | Pittsburg | 6'3 | 198 | 33.4 | 9.3 | 4.55 | X | 6.89 |
152 | Marqueston Huff | FS | Wyoming | 5'11 | 196 | 31.4 | 9.0 | 4.49 | 15 | 7.26 |
143 | Dontae Johnson | CB | NC State | 6'2 | 200 | 31.5 | 8.6 | 4.45 | 12 | 6.82 |
ROUND 6 159 |
Taylor Hart | DE/DT | Oregon | 6'6 | 281 | 32.8 | 10.1 | X | 21 | X |
165 | Joe Don Duncan | TE | Dixie State | 6'3 | 268 | 32.4 | 10.5 | X | 35 | X |
176 | Brett Smith | QB | Wyoming | 6'2 | 206 | X | X | X | X | X |
168 | Cassius Marsh | DE | UCLA | 6'4 | 252 | 32.8 | 9.5 | 4.89 | 14 | 7.08 |
177 | Tajh Boyd | QB | Clemson | 6'1 | 225 | 30.8 | 9.6 | 4.84 | X | 7.33 |
172 | Tre Boston | FS | North Carolina | 6'0 | 204 | 31.4 | 9.8 | 4.59 | 18 | 7.04 |
173 | Matt Patchan | LOT | Boston College | 6'6 | 302 | 33.0 | 9.4 | 4.97 | 22 | X |
174 | Larry Webster | DE | Bloomsburg | 6'6 | 252 | 33.5 | 10.1 | 4.58 | 17 | 7.29 |
170 | Gabe Ikard | C | Oklahoma | 6'4 | 304 | 33.4 | 9.6 | 5.13 | 22 | 7.30 |
175 | Crockett Gillmore | TE | Colorado State | 6'6 | 260 | 33.8 | 10.4 | 4.89 | X | X |
ROUND 7 182 |
Josh Mauro | DE | Stanford | 6'6 | 271 | 33.0 | 9.5 | 5.21 | 21 | 7.43 |
181 | Bryan Stork | C | Florida State | 6'3 | 315 | 32.3 | 10.1 | X | X | X |
185 | L'Damain Washington | WR | Missouri | 6'4 | 205 | 33.4 | 9.0 | 4.46 | 8 | 7.19 |
180 | Walt Aikens | CB | Liberty | 6'1 | 203 | X | X | X | X | X |
191 | Travis Carrie | CB | Ohio | 6'0 | 206 | 31.9 | 9.8 | X | 17 | X |
192 | Wesley Johnson | OL | Vanderbilt | 6'5 | 297 | 33.1 | 10.3 | 5.11 | 26 | 7.40 |
183 | Morgan Breslin | OLB | USC | 6'2 | 250 | X | X | X | X | X |
195 | Stephen Morris | QB | Maimi | 6'2 | 213 | 32.8 | 10.3 | 4.63 | X | 7.36 |
199 | Corey Linsley | C | Ohio State | 6'3 | 296 | 32.0 | 9.9 | X | 36 | X |
200 | Mike Campanaro | WR | Wake Forest | 5'9 | 192 | 30.0 | 9.8 | 4.46 | 20 | 6.77 |