Panthers pick both Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel, dual Swiss Army knives

The Carolina Panthers added versatile running back Christian McCaffrey in the first round of the NFL Draft. In the second round, Carolina drafted Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel, who is another dynamic offensive threat.

These two players aren’t just multifaceted. They’re both essentially offensive Swiss Army knives.

Last year, the Panthers’ offense wasn’t dynamic. The offense finished the season ranked 19th in the league for yards per game and averaged just 23.1 points per game. Having McCaffrey and Samuel should open things up for Cam Newton next season.

McCaffrey can do it all. He’s explosive and he has great vision. He has a talent for finding holes and hitting them, and when he gets into space, well, good luck to the defenders tasked with running him down.

McCaffrey is a running back who’s comfortable as a receiver working out of the slot. Interestingly, Samuel can be described in basically the same way.

Samuel is a receiver, but he’s capable of much more. ESPN labeled him as a wide receiver when he was drafted by Carolina, and NFL Network called him a running back. The reality is that he can do both, and Samuel’s vision, anticipation, and lateral quickness make him dangerous.

Both McCaffrey and Samuel are explosive playmakers, and both players can fill multiple roles for Carolina. With Newton’s versatility as a passer and a runner, the Panthers just got a whole lot more difficult to stop.

McCaffrey will be primarily a running back for the Panthers, and Samuel will be a slot receiver. Still, both players are so versatile that the possibilities are endless for the Panthers’ offense.