The 48th pick is in and SB Nation’s Panthers community, Cat Scratch Reader, has selected...
NFL Mock Draft, Pick 48: Panthers Select Mardy Gilyard, WR Cincinnati
Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard
With Damian Williams getting selected immediately before this pick it narrowed my choices to Arrelious Benn, Brandon LaFell, and Gilyard. Though Benn has more straight line speed than Gilyard and LaFell may be a bigger, more polished receiver Gilyard brings the added dimension of big play ability that is sorely needed by the Panther passing game from someone other than Steve Smith. Both Benn and LaFell fall into the ‘Moose’ category.
I agree that this pick should be a wide receiver. Personally, I would have gone with Benn, who has more potential to be a No. 1 receiver. He was stuck playing with arguably the worst starting quarterback for a BCS school, which is why his production dropped. Steve Smith said he wanted the Panthers to go after a No. 1 receiver, which is what Benn could have, uh, been.
Panthers WR Steve Smith said a few weeks back that he didn’t want to be a number one anymore. That wasn’t supposed to mean anything other than he’s getting up there in age and knows the Panthers need to add another young receiver. Enter Mardy Gilyard. While I don’t think he’ll be a bona-fide number one receiver, he should be a good building block. Plus, the Panthers will have Matt Moore taking snaps so it’s important to get him the weapons necessary to succeed.
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