Daryl Williams to Carolina Panthers: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

Coming into the draft, offensive tackle was the biggest need for the Carolina Panthers. Yes, they brought in free agent Michael Oher to play left tackle, but that was only an improvement considering how poorly Byron Bell played last season. He’s not an ideal tackle. Right tackle, meanwhile, is still an open competition between last year’s starter Nate Chandler, practice-squad surprise Mike Remmers and free-agent acquisition Jonathan Martin.

Clearly, there was room to improve. I had thought the Panthers would use a first- or second-round selection to upgrade the position. Instead, they waited until the third day of the draft. The end result was not a surefire day-one starter, but they did find some very good value by taking Daryl Williams out of Oklahoma.

Let’s be clear—Williams was not the most talented offensive tackle left on the board at the beginning of Day 3. However, the two tackles I had ranked above him both have issues that could have caused the Panthers to look elsewhere.

La’el Collins from LSU might be more of a guard than a tackle, but his draft stock has plummeted after police asked to question him about his relationship with a murder victim, who they believe to be an ex-girlfriend of Collins according to Adam Schefter. While he is not, at this point, a suspect, the fact that he’s actively in Louisiana talking to police has clearly concerned teams.

T.J. Clemmings of Pittsburgh, who went 110th overall to Minnesota, was the other higher-rated tackle on my board. He’s a first-round talent, but he is suffering from a stress fracture in his foot. There are concerns about his longevity, so that might have scared the Panthers away from him as well.

If you’ve crossed Collins and Clemmings off your board, then Williams was the best offensive tackle remaining, and I actually had him going late on Day 2. He’s not an athletic marvel or anything, but he is a massive mountain of a man at 6’5” and 327 pounds, with 35-inch arms. This allows him to come off the snap with mean intentions, getting leverage and driving his man back.

He’s a four-year starter from Oklahoma, so he has plenty of in-game experience. He was a first-team All-Big 12 player last season, starting every game at right tackle. He might end up moving inside in the NFL, as he doesn’t have the foot quickness or functional athleticism you’d want out of an ideal player, but I think he has a real shot at sticking at tackle. His potential move inside makes him a valuable potential backup at multiple positions, but don’t count him out as a starter.

No, he didn’t have a great combine performance, but that’s not what you’re going to get out of a player like Williams. You’re not going to get a great 40-yard dash time or incredible vertical ability, but you’re going to get a road-grading tough guy.

I’m concerned about his pass protection. That lack of athleticism means he’s going to struggle handling speed rushers around the edge. He might become a liability in space, so he’ll never end up as a left tackle. You don’t want him protecting the blind side.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

That’s all right. He’s drafted with the hope he’ll play right tackle, with the possibility of moving inside in case he doesn’t work out. He’s got the work ethic and leadership qualities you want, and I have faith he’ll at least develop into a solid NFL backup.

Don’t expect him to come in, be handed a starting spot and go from there. So far, however, he’s my favorite pick the Panthers have made. That’s not to say he’s better than Shaq Thompson or Devin Funchess; obviously, your fourth-round pick isn’t going to be as talented as earlier selections. I just think his value for the spot he was taken was the most solid the Panthers have found so far; he’s better than your standard fourth-round player.

If there’s any question about this pick, it’s whether or not the trade was worth it. The Panthers gave up three picks for Williams, and they no longer have any picks after the fifth round. Now sixth- and seventh-round picks, on the whole, do not make impacts. Yes, we all know the story of Tom Brady—or, for that matter, Will Montgomery, Carolina’s seventh-round pick in 2006—but you’re usually going to get a special teams player, at best. You can make the argument those types of players aren’t worth it if you have a player you specifically want to target.

However, the thing is, no draft pick is a guarantee. Yes, I think Williams will be very solid, but the same could be said of Jeff Otah before the 2008 draft. The fewer picks you have, the less margin for error you have in general.

Obviously, there’s a trade-off to be made—you can make the philosophical argument about whether you’d want, say, the first overall pick or the entire seventh round—but, in general, I think trading back is better in the long run than trading up. By getting rid of four picks in this year’s draft, the Panthers have put pressure on their remaining picks to actually work out. It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy, and we’ll have to see how it develops going forward.

Bryan Knowles is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the Carolina Panthers during the NFL draft. Follow him @BryKno on Twitter.