D.J. Moore Taken by Panthers in 2018 NFL Draft; Steve Smith Sr. Loves Pick

The Carolina Panthers added some much-needed help to their receiving corps on Thursday by selecting former Maryland receiver D.J. Moore No. 24 overall in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.

Twitter praised the pairing of Moore with quarterback Cam Newton in the Panthers' offense:

Moore showed steady improvement over the course of his three years as a Terrapin, totaling 146 career catches for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns. Last season, he was named the Big Ten Receiver of the Year thanks to career highs in catches (80), yards (1,033) and touchdowns (eight).

He was not only Maryland's top receiver, but his versatility allowed him to contribute in the running game (five carries) and on punt returns (12).

In other words, defenses better not give him open space to work with.

Moore's combination of size (6'0", 210 pounds) and speed (4.42-second 40-yard dash) should translate well to the next level. After a solid showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked the Philadelphia native as the fourth-best prospect at his position.

According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, Moore has the makings of the next Stefon Diggs, who also happened to come out of Maryland.

Newton should be thrilled to have another weapon at his disposal. After the Panthers ranked 28th in passing yards last season, Moore's addition adds another element to the offense.

If there's been one thing Newton has been missing during his time in Carolina, it's been a top receiver. The Panthers hope Moore will fill that void.

Devin Funchess (840 yards and eight touchdowns) emerged as the team's top receiver last year after a midseason trade sent former first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills. Torrey Smith was brought in via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in March to add speed on the outside. 

Christian McCaffrey caught 80 balls for 651 yards and five touchdowns, while Curtis Samuel had an injury-plagued rookie season. There's still plenty of potential between the team's first two 2017 draft picks.

Drafting Moore adds yet another playmaker to the offense, with McCaffrey and Samuel both able to make an impact in a variety of ways. Never underestimate the power of versatility to a football team.