The 2011 NFL draft is less than two weeks away and we have yet to determine who the Carolina Panthers will be selecting with the No. 1 overall pick. The question that needs to be answered when looking at the Panthers draft needs is whether the team seems QB Jimmy Clausen as the future at quarterback.
2011 NFL Draft: Jimmy Clausen’s Future Key To Carolina Panthers Plans
If they do, then you can expect the Panthers to go with a non-quarterback position, like defensive tackle. If they don't, then QB Cam Newton seems to be the most likely option.
It’s the question of Clausen’s future in Carolina that SB Nation’s Cat Scratch Reader is talking about as the draft nears.
Can he age like a fine cheese, or become like a corked bottle of wine and leave a bad taste in our mouth? If I'm Ron Rivera and I'm seeing a QB I really like in the 2011 draft it's very difficult if my GM is asking me to take a leap of faith on his leap of faith. Should the Panthers pass on the QB position so Hurney can give Clausen one more chance and he is ultimately just a game manager, then it would likely cost both Marty Hurney and Ron Rivera their jobs.
This is the question in the draft. Once we know the answer to it, the top of the draft becomes slightly more clear.
With the NFL lockout, and teams unable to negotiate with the top draft pick prior to the draft, it’s unlikely we’ll know the answer to this until April 28.
For more on the Panthers draft day plans, check out Cat Scratch Reader.
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