Panthers Draft Picks 2017: Results, Grades and Analysis for Each Selection

One year removed from an appearance in the Super Bowl, the Carolina Panthers are coming off a disappointing 6-10 season in which they finished last in the NFC South division.

Now comes the time to rebuild.

The Panthers won the division three years in a row prior to last season, and Cam Newton was the league MVP in 2015, so there is plenty of reason to be optimistic.

When it comes to the NFL draft, the Panthers currently hold eight selections, including the No. 8 overall choice in the first round. Having a top-10 selection should have the fanbase excited as there will be a wealth of talent to choose from at that spot.

The Panthers could be looking to ignite their running game in the first round, and you've likely noticed that Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey have both been linked to the team throughout the draft process. However, as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk reports, Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman believes there are half a dozen every-down running backs in this draft.

As the Panthers navigate through the draft, this article will be updated with analysis and grades for each pick, so be sure to check back often.

Round 1, No. 8 Overall: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

With the No. 8 overall pick in the draft, the Panthers selected Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, son of former NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey. 

The Panthers wasted no time in turning in the pick, making it clear this is the guy they wanted and probably wanted all along. 

McCaffrey put together massive numbers in three seasons at Stanford, including a terrific 2015 season in which he arguably should have won the Heisman Trophy. He finished his college career with 5,128 yards from scrimmage and 31 touchdowns.

Contrary to what some fans may think, McCaffrey is a three-down back with superb receiving skills. If he can get the ball in space, it can easily become a footrace to the end zone.

McCaffrey immediately makes the Panthers offense much more explosive. With Cam Newton at quarterback, Kelvin Benjamin at wide receiver and Greg Olsen at tight end, this suddenly becomes a very difficult group to defend.

Jonathan Stewart, Fozzy Whittaker, Cameron Artis-Payne and Jalen Simmons were the only running backs on the depth chart, so McCaffrey should see playing time right away and could even be the Week 1 starter. 

Though Fournette was drafted with the No. 4 overall selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars, McCaffrey may be the most complete running back in this draft.

Great move for the Panthers, and one that the team's fans should be thrilled about.

Grade: A

Round 2, No. 40 Overall: Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State

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The Panthers are loading up with hybrid slot receivers/running backs to give Newton some relief.

After taking McCaffrey in the first round, the Panthers added Ohio State wide receiver Curtis Samuel in the second. Samuel is one of those guys who can line up at multiple positions and create mismatches.

The Panthers lost deep threat Ted Ginn during the offseason, so finding a guy who can take the top off of a defense makes sense. But is Samuel that guy?

Samuel appears to be one of those Swiss army knife-type players, but where will the Panthers use him? If they can find a role for him, he could become a dangerous offensive weapon.

The Buckeyes never settled on one position, giving Samuel 172 rushing attempts and throwing him the ball 107 times during his college career. The Panthers likely want him to play more wide receiver, but there's also the option of having him field kickoffs. He averaged 21.6 yards per return during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

The Panthers brought in Charles Johnson and Russell Shepard as free agents, but Samuel has clearly been selected as the replacement for Ginn. As a result, he should see plenty of time on the field as a rookie.

Quietly, the Panthers are putting together a potentially explosive offense. The selection of Samuel actually complements the choice of McCaffrey quite nicely, and that combination is going to keep defenses on edge this coming season.

Grade: B+

Round 2, No. 64 Overall: Taylor Moton, OL, Western Michigan

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With the last pick of the second round, the Panthers chose Taylor Moton, a guard out of Western Michigan. He played a little tackle in college but would probably play guard for the Panthers. 

Moton is a big, physical player who is exactly the type of tough offensive lineman the Panthers need. He played both guard and tackle in college as a four-year starter, but he projects best as a guard at the professional level.

He'll need to become a little quicker to be a complete offensive lineman, but fans will be impressed with his ability to open holes in the running game. On top of that, if he ever gets out as a pulling guard on a toss play or screen pass, look out. This could be ideal with the addition of McCaffrey.

The Panthers have needed to upgrade the offensive line for some time. It's an issue that goes back to the team's crushing defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, but it was made crystal clear last season when Newton took an absolute beating over the course of the season.

This is the kind of pick that won't have people jumping up and down in excitement, but it should.

Grade: A-

Round 3, No. 77 Overall: Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M

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The Panthers came up 21 slots in the draft to make this pick, trading up from No. 98 to No. 77 to draft the other Texas A&M defensive end, Daeshon Hall. The Panthers gave away the No. 98 overall selection along with the No. 115 overall choice to the Arizona Cardinals in order to come up.

Hall played on the opposite side of No. 1 overall pick, Myles Garrett. He posted 27.5 tackles for loss over the course of the last two seasons, something that obviously caught the eye of the Panthers.

At the professional level, Hall will have to show the consistency to stay on the field as well as bulk up by adding more muscle to his frame. At 6'5" and 266 pounds, he possesses a slender frame and could get pushed around easily.

That said, when watching him play, you can see the effort and the potential. He has a high motor and generally won't give up on the play. He also has the versatility teams like, making him a guy the coaching staff should enjoy molding into the player they traded up to draft.

With veterans Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers anchoring the defensive line, Hall appears to be the perfect understudy.

He's a guy who may not contribute a lot as a rookie, but the potential seems obvious. Did the Panthers have to trade up to get him? They apparently felt they did.

Grade: B-

Round 5, No. 152 Overall: Corn Elder, CB, Miami

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Now it's time to address the secondary, an area the Panthers have struggled in for more than one season.

Corn Elder will be knocked for his diminutive size (5'10", 183 pounds), but he's a competitive, aggressive player despite almost always giving up size to the player he's covering.

Elder doesn't have the type of stats that will jump off the page. He only had three interceptions during his college career. However, it's the plays that don't show up in the box score that he can make. He's tough, physical and a hard hitter. He knocks down a lot of passes and can even come up and make hits out of the secondary. He had six quarterback sacks in college.

During the offseason, the Panthers brought in cornerback Captain Munnerlyn for his second stint with the team as the organization searches for a capable starter opposite last season's second-round choice James Bradberry.

The team also selected Zack Sanchez last season while cutting ties with 2014 fifth-round pick Bene Benwikere. The Panthers hope that Elder can help slow down the revolving door in the secondary.

Elder projects best as a nickel defender in sub-packages, but don't count him out just because he's small. He could absolutely be one of the team's starting corners someday because of the effort he puts in on every play.

Grade: B+

Round 6, No. 192 Overall: Alex Armah, DE, West Georgia

This pick was a bit curious. Obviously, the Panthers see something in the prospect out of West Georgia that perhaps no other team did. 

Armah spent most of his time in college at the tight end position and does offer some value as a blocker. Listed as a defensive end, some scouts saw him at linebacker, while others saw him as a fullback. So which position is this guy going to play?

The Panthers are going to try and tap into his potential, hoping to uncover a gem. Still, it seems he could be a long-term project who spends at least one season on the team's practice squad.

Armah was selected to the All-Gulf South Conference first team as a defensive end and second team as a tight end. Because of his ability to block, the best fit for him seems to be as an edge-setting tight end or a fullback who can open up holes for new running back McCaffrey.

Grading this pick is tricky because if it works out, Carolina is going to look great for making it. But at this time, it just seems like they could have signed him as an undrafted free agent.

Grade: D

Round 7, No. 233 Overall: Harrison Butker, PK, Georgia Tech

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Graham Gano shanked a potential game-winning field goal against the Denver Broncos in the season opener last season. Did the Panthers' season ever rebound from that?

Perhaps that's not the only reason the team selected a kicker in the seventh round of the draft, but the Panthers are certainly giving Gano some competition.

Harrison Butker is the all-time leading scorer (337 points) in school history at Georgia Tech. He also holds the record for most successful PATs during his time there. He made 15 of 17 field-goal attempts in 2016.

In his fifth year with the Panthers last season, Gano missed eight field goals. He also blew three extra points, opening the door for the team to bring in another kicker.

Gano is an experienced veteran with one of the strongest legs in the league. Butker isn't going to win the job easily, but he certainly will be given that chance.

At the very least, it will be interesting to watch how the kicking competition plays out this summer. Gano has been put on notice.

Grade: B-