Out of "Luck": What the QB Staying at Stanford Does to the Panthers Draft

So the season ended (mercifully) and Panther fans could begin to think about the future. The Cats are getting a new head coach, probably new coordinators, and most importantly the NUMBER ONE DRAFT PICK. That is a lot to look forward to.

Then today, Andrew Luck, the consensus No. 1 pick in the draft and Carolina's first real opportunity for a franchise quarterback since 1995, decides to stay in school at Stanford. (Let me take a moment to commend the young man for wanting to finish his degree. I wish more students would.) But for the fans of the Carolina Panthers...this is yet more gloom, despair and agony.

So what now?  

Ideally the Panthers trade the No. 1 pick in order to move down, collect a few extra draft picks and still get a good first-round quarterback (Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Mallett, but please not Cam Newton). But here is the problem: None of the other teams are going to want to trade up.

If Luck were still available then there might be a couple of takers (hopefully the Panthers regime would be smart enough to not trade Luck away). The four teams in line after the Panthers are the Broncos, the Bills, the Bengals and then the Cardinals. Yes, the Bills and Bengals are desperate for defense but are they desperate enough or in love enough with one of the top defenders enough to trade up?

Da'Quan Bowers (DE from Clemson) now reigns as the new number one followed probably by Nick Fairley (DT from Auburn), Patrick Peterson (CB from LSU) and maybe Robert Quinn (DE from UNC).

Do any of those guys scream NUMBER ONE PICK? There has not been a defensive No. 1 pick since Mario Williams to Houston and the only reason the Texans pulled that trigger is because they could not come to an agreement with Reggie Bush prior to draft day.

And while Bowers may be better than Mario Williams (only time will tell), does his career scream NUMBER ONE PICK?  

(Don't get me wrong...I like the guy but not enough to pay $50 million.)

I ask again...so what now? (I hope Jerry Richardson and Marty Hurney have a Plan B.)