Carolina Panthers' Day 3 2014 NFL Draft Primer

The Carolina Panthers raised a few eyebrows with their selections in Rounds 2 and 3, but for the right reasons.  After three rounds and two days into the 2014 NFL draft, Dave Gettleman has one more day to finalize his draft class before minicamp, OTAs and training camp begin.

Carolina's first three picks are cementing Gettleman's legacy as the team's general manager.  His draft strategy may not be agreeable with some, but he has been regarded as having one of the finest football minds in the league.  If the first three picks of this year's draft return a solid run of success, there should be no reason to question his methods any longer.

As for Day 3 of the draft, the Panthers will pick at the 28th spot in each round but the seventh.  The trade that sent Jon Beason to the New York Giants will net them the 10th selection in the final round. There are a lot of storylines that could develop on Saturday.  

Gettleman has kept everyone guessing, but his picks can be regarded as brilliant—for now.

The final primer for this year's Carolina draft will break down what to expect, prospect analysis and what can happen in the last rounds of this year's draft.

Day 2 Recap and Analysis

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To recap what went down in Friday's action:

Carolina surprised many by taking defensive end Kony Ealy with the 60th overall pick.  There were still plenty of quality offensive tackles on the board for the Panthers to choose from including Morgan Moses. However, Ealy's selection seems to suggest the front office is looking to part ways with one of its talented defensive tackles.  Greg Hardy signed his franchise tender that will pay him around $13.1 million this year.  After that, he will be seeking a hefty pay day.  

Charles Johnson isn't cheap either, and the decision may come down to which player will best serve the Panthers' interest down the road.  Until then, Ealy will be a stop-gap that will allow the Panthers to mix up their defense and give opponents on offense another defender to worry about.  

Despite the needs at offensive tackle and cornerback, drafting Ealy could be a brilliant move that may turn out to be a steal in this year's draft.

When the Panthers entered the third round, it appeared the offensive line would be addressed.  It was, but not at the position many anticipated.  Trai Turner's selection was a great move that will shore up the interior of the offensive line and could give Carolina some room to maneuver the current linemen on the roster.

The need to stay healthy and provide quality blocking up front helped play a role in bringing Turner to Carolina, and his reputation should bring a little of both.  

It's a little early to determine how he will fit into the Carolina game plan, but he should compete for a starting job going into camp. 

Updated Needs for Carolina

After three rounds, the needs of the Carolina Panthers are not exactly filled.  However, that is not a bad thing.  Sure, the team passed on both offensive tackle and cornerback, but with four rounds to work with, it is not out of the question to suggest they will find the right player in one of those rounds and get a solid return from their investment.

Offensive Tackle

Based on what was witnessed Friday, this position may not be nearly as pressing a need as thought before.  Granted, the Panthers should add someone who can play the position and there are still quality players (man, this position really is deep) available who can be contributors out of the gate. This should be a position of interest on the final day.

Cornerback

Much like offensive tackle, there is no shortage of defensive backs who can be instant contributors for Carolina.  The draft moves of the Panthers' division rivals should make it obvious that adding a cornerback is paramount, but an argument can be made for the effectiveness of Antoine Cason and Melvin White.  There are still two corners who played ball in the Carolinas that are available.

Wide Receiver

The depth of this position should be more than enough reason to see Carolina snag another receiver.  It may not be as pressing, but another one should be taken in the late rounds.

One would imagine the needs would have changed a bit and while it has, the usual suspects still remain. Since Dave Gettleman likes to mix it up, the other positions to watch out for should include offensive guard (yes, again), outside linebacker, tight end and possibly quarterback.

Top Day 3 Targets

The list of Day 3 targets looks to remain the same as Day 2, but with some adjustments.  

Bashaud Breeland, CB, Clemson: He's still available and if he slides down to Carolina at 128th, he could be an option.  However, it's difficult seeing him fall that far.

Ross Cockrell, CB, Duke: Much like the prediction made in the previous slide, Cockrell will be the choice in the third round. The Panthers will have picked up their wide receiver and offensive tackle, leaving only the secondary to be addressed. Cockrell has the smarts to play well in the league, and if he fine-tune his game, he should be a welcome addition.

Anthony Steen, OG, Alabama: The big body that could add some depth to the interior of the offensive line. Steen should be able to go when camp opens and could compete for playing time with the current offensive guards on the Carolina roster.

Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers: Another big receiver, but one who is not as physical as he should be. However, if he is groomed properly, Coleman could turn out to be a decent receiver and maybe become one of the steals of the draft.

Keith McGill, CB, Utah: McGill was considered a second- or third-round pick, so to see him fall into the fourth round is amazing.  Like Breeland, it's unlikely he will drop to the Panthers and should be gone before the fifth round.

Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood: Desir has been a popular name on the draft correspondents' chat room. He is an under-the-radar defensive back who has a lot of positive attributes wanted from a cornerback.  He has had his production scrutinized due to the level of play in Division-II, but he could develop into a solid player.

Shaq Evans, WR, UCLA: Evans doesn't get enough attention and could become a quality receiver in the right offense.  He has good size and decent speed, but like Carolina's first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin, he is prone to dropping passes.

Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina: Despite his scouting report suggesting him as a mid-round pick, Ellington probably could have gone sooner.  He had a good combine, and his size and leaping ability coupled with the current group of receivers in Carolina could make him a threat in the offense.

Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson: Don't laugh.  Nobody expected Carolina to take a defensive end in this draft, yet it happened.  Boyd could be the Panthers' final pick if he isn't an undrafted free agent.  While he may not want to be a backup in the NFL, his scouting report suggests otherwise.  At the very least, his addition would allow the Panthers to stick to their game plan.

What Are the Experts Saying?

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Darin Gantt, ProFootballTalk.com on Dave Gettleman's draft strategy for Saturday (via Twitter):

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GM Dave Gettleman will draft remotely via Skype tomorrow so he can attend his son's college graduation.

"

That should be interesting.  Hopefully, this particular method lands the Panthers some late-round gems. It's unknown if he will be conducting the draft while in attendance at the graduation ceremony.

David Newton, ESPN on Kony Ealy (via Twitter):

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Ealy gives the Panthers flexibility for the future.

"

Very true.  How Carolina goes about the defensive end issue won't be addressed until next year.  Until then, Ealy provides a means and a solution for the worst-case scenario.  That, of course, is the departure of one the Panthers' talented defensive ends.

Rich Eisen on Trai Turner (via NFL Network broadcast):

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He should compete for a starting job this year.

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Considering the way the line was ravaged by injuries and how they took their toll on the offensive guards, that is a fair sentiment.  Turner has the talent to be a starter, but he is being knocked for his early departure from school.  Whether or not this limits him at the pro level has yet to be determined.

Peter King, Sports Illustrated to David Gettleman regarding the Kony Ealy pick (via Twitter):

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"You can't have too many pass-rushers. You can't - it's impossible." What if you had 53 and no quarterbacks?

"

Peter King is probably one of the most respected journalists in football today.  While he may be making light of Gettleman's comments, the Carolina front office knows what it's doing.  Kony brings stability after what is sure to be a transition year at defensive end following the upcoming season.  The Panthers love pass-rushing defensive ends and Ealy was too good to pass up.  No worries, Peter, Carolina has got this.  Plus, the team has a pretty talented quarterback, too.

Personal Analysis

Carolina has never broken its game plan during the draft, and while drafting a defensive end and offensive guard this early seem strange, in the end, their presence will be a blessing.  Panthers fans will need to be patient as both picks could be reserved to backup or rotational roles early in their careers.

5 Predictions for Day 3

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1. An offensive tackle and cornerback will be taken. 

Seriously, they should.  If not, the Panthers' front office has more faith in the current roster than what we were led to believe earlier in the year.  Finding an adequate outside edge-blocker for Cam Newton should be paramount on the final day.

2.  A player who played college ball at a North or South Carolina school will be drafted.

Much like the prediction made in the previous primer, only this one will encompass cornerback, wide receiver and potentially quarterback.  The latter leading to the following prediction.

3.  Tajh Boyd will be drafted by the Panthers.

He worked out for the team and has a similar skill set to Cam Newton.  Despite having re-signed Derek Anderson and signing Joe Webb, Boyd would bring a little extra something to the position battle.  He wants to start and the fire to do so could lead to him earning a backup spot—even ahead of Anderson.

4.  Carolina will trade up.

The Panthers won't give up too much in order to move up to grab someone, but it should be relatively safe on Day 3 and at the worst, one pick is sacrificed from this year along with a mid- to late-round pick for next year.

5.  The Panthers will have filled all of their needs by the end of the draft.

You don't go into a draft and not address your needs.  The Panthers have done that in a way, but additions to offensive tackle and cornerback should occur before Mr. Irrelevant is named.  

Updated Carolina Panthers Mock Draft

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Cameron Fleming

Here is one last mock based on the final four picks Carolina has left.

Round 4 (128th Overall)

Ross Cockrell, CB, Duke: Just like the prediction and a strong enough reason for him to go at this point in the draft.  The Panthers need a defensive back and they don't have to look any further than their own backyard.

Round 5 (168th Overall)

Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford: The need to shore up the outside edge of the offensive line will bring Fleming to Carolina.  He is a massive offensive tackle and could be DeAngelo Williams' best friend if he can open up running lanes for him.  He could benefit from a bit of a nasty streak.

Round 6 (204th Overall)

Jalen Saunders, WR, Oklahoma: He was the final pick in previous mocks but gets bumped up for this one.  Saunders could start out as a special teams player and work his way as an everyday offensive player.  His skill set makes him flexible on the Carolina roster.

Round 7 (225th Overall)

Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson: The Panthers want serious competition to back up Cam Newton.  Derek Anderson may have been the guy the past three seasons, but nobody has really challenged him.  With Joe Webb and Boyd stepping up, that all changes.