Panthers Draft: Carolina Lands Jon Beason, Dwayne Jarrett

It's that time of year again, when armchair GMs get to second-guess the people who get paid to scout and select players.

Never mind that the average football fan has only seen a few highlight reels of a given player while the average scout has tracked the player's every move for two year's this is the time to become a cynical, contrarian jerk.

And I couldn't be happier about it.   

The Carolina Panthers came into the 2007 draft with a ton of questions to answer. The team has a history of solid-but-unspectacular drafts, as GM Marty Hurney often errs on the side of caution.

This year, though, the Panthers made some dynamic moves on day one and added solid depth on day two. While the talking heads will harp on Cleveland and San Francisco, you'll be hard-pressed to find a team that had a better weekend than the Panthers.

1st Round (No. 25) - Jon Beason, LB, Miami (FL)

The Panthers traded down and still got their man. Whenever a team can add picks and get the guy they want, there are bound to be smiling faces in the war room.

Carolina had Beason rated very highly, and linebacker was a position of need. When healthy, current middle linebacker Dan Morgan is one of the game's best. But when was the last time he was healthy?

Beason hails from Morgan's alma mater, and looks to be the next in a long line of solid Miami linebackers. Let's be serious: When is the last time a defensive player from Miami turned out to be a bust? It just doesn't happen.

Beason reminds some of current Jet and former 'Cane Jonathan Vilma, who has quietly turned into one of the three best middle linebackers in the game. Though Beason might have a hard time matching that production, he will provide instant toughness, depth, and versatility to a Panthers defense that needs playmakers.

2nd Round (No. 45) - Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC

The Panthers have struggled to find a quality second receiver receiver to go along with Steve Smith—and Jarrett looks like he can be the guy.

Jarrett was a big-time playmaker at USC, but slipped a bit because of speed concerns; many scouts expected him to run in the 4.4 range instead of the 4.6 range. Still, his size and ball skills both fill needs for the Panthers. Finally, they'll have someone to go up and get those jump balls that Jake Delhomme likes to throw.

2nd Round (No. 59) - Ryan Kalil, C, USC

Though the Panthers have plenty of depth in the interior of the offensive line, they couldn't pass up a talent like Kalil this late in the second round.

Many scouts expected Kalil to be off the board by the early second round, so grabbing him with the 59th overall pick was something of a steal.

Kalil was a rock at Southern Cal and should turn into an elite center in the NFL. He could develop as quickly as Jets center Nick Mangold, who has turned himself into one of the best offensive linemen in the entire league. Expect Kalil to compete for an opening day starting position...and to make the transition to the NFL easier for fellow Trojan Jarrett.

3rd Round (No. 83) - Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia

Johnson turned in a great senior season alongside fellow draftee Quentin Moses. He's one of those so-called "high motor" guys who never quits in pursuit of the ball—which makes him a perfect fit for the Panthers, who need to replace a departed "effort" guy in Al Wallace.

With Mike Rucker's career and health in question, Carolina had to add a defensive end in this draft. In Johnson, they got a big-time player who will eventually be a solid NFL starter. He'll get to learn the game at a slower pace, benefitting from the wisdom of both Rucker and Julius Peppers.

4th Round (No. 118) - Ryne Robinson, WR/KR, Miami (OH)

I originally shook my head when I saw this pick—but then I remembered the 2001 draft, when Carolina took a flier on a small kick-return specialist out of Utah in the third round.

"He's too small to play wide receiver in the NFL," the pundits said.

That kick returner, of course, was Steve Smith, who made the Pro Bowl as a returner in his first year and has turned into the game's elite playmaker at his position.

I'm not predicting the same level of success from Robinson, but he's a solid pick given Carolina's needs. Last season, they lost a handful of close games because of problems in the kick return game. Robinson will make an immediate impact in that area, and could develop into a serviceable receiver.   

5th Round (No. 155) - Dante Rosario, TE, Oregon

I'm not thrilled with this pick. The Panthers neglected their tight end need in the first round, when they passed on Greg Olsen. I would rather have seen the team take a safety in this spot.

Rosario is a small tight end who will add to passing game, but shouldn't provide much in the way of blocking. This pick is confusing when you consider that former Duke player Ben Patrick (6'4", 270) was still on the board. Patrick didn't go until the seventh round (to Arizona), so the Panthers could have arguably gotten a better player here.

6th Round (No. 164) - Tim Shaw, ILB, Penn State

Shaw was highly productive at Penn State, but he's got some athleticism issues to work on if he wants to be a quality NFL linebacker.

That said, Shaw is the kind of player of which the Panthers are in desperate need: He provides instant depth at the linebacker position and should also make a contribution on special teams. In the sixth round, Shaw was probably the best player available, so I don't have any problems with this one. He's the kind of guy we could look back on and say, "They got him in WHAT round?"

7th Round (No. 226) - C.J. Wilson, DB, Baylor

Wilson was a corner at Baylor, but projects as a safety in the NFL. He isn't the fastest secondary player in the world, but he's a good hitter with exceptional ball skills.

I like this pick because at this point, Wilson is a good value. Any seventh round pick who stands a good shot of making the roster is a solid selection. With Mike Minter going on his farewell tour in 2007, the Panthers were in the market for a young safety. And if Wilson improves his open-field movement, he'll have a chance to crack the two-deep at safety.

Overall, the Panthers came out of the 2007 draft with what they feel are seven good football players. Aside from Jarrett, none of these guys were big name players in college, but each of them comes with a good combination of character, work ethic, and raw football ability.
 
As far as grades go—ask me in 2011. When these players have played four or five years in the league, I'll let you know where I stand. I'll bet no one graded the Steve Smith pick as an A+ back in 2001...but you'd better believe his selection would get high marks today.