How do you follow up a Super Bowl? By taking players at the top of the draft to help you get back there, of course. The most common choices for the Carolina Panthers in mock drafts have been offensive tackles or defensive ends. Jaxon from Cat Scratch Reader is thinking the exact same thing.
2016 NFL mock draft: Carolina Panthers pick pass rusher Kevin Dodd
Our final pick of the day in the SB Nation NFL writers mock has the Super Bowl losers getting a Clemson star.
30. Panthers: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
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Jaxon: I decided to not try and overthink this pick but before I get into my reasoning I have to raise a beer for someone. If not for Tom Brady and his inability to play by the rules this pick would not be possible. So as the first team to benefit from Tommie Boy’s indiscretion I raise a Miller Lite, a slightly flat one to make it appropriate. Cheers!
There are a number of players on the board that would be nice fits for Carolina here like OT Jason Spriggs, WR Will Fuller, DT Kenny Clark or S Vonn Bell. Yet knowing Dave Gettleman can’t have enough pass rushers I think he grabs one of the top two left, that being Emmanuel Ogbah or Kevin Dodd. While Ogbah might be the better athlete I think Dodd is more Pro ready. Anyone that watched Dodd in Clemson’s two College Playoff games saw a player playing the games of his life on the biggest stage possible. In both games Dodd was constantly in the opposing team’s backfield. I love players like that and I’m certain the Panthers do too. Dodd has the size, speed and experience to work into the rotation right out of the gate and be a long-term solution at DE for the Panthers.
Analysis: Well, in 10 years of the SB Nation NFL writers mock draft, that is the first admission of being inebriated for a selection (though some in years past may lead you to believe otherwise). The choice of Dodd does fit the Gettleman philosophy of suring of the lines first. So this debate would come down to Dodd versus Spriggs. For me, this is a coin flip where the Panthers would be fine in either scenario. The only issue with not taking an offensive line in the first round is that they have to hope there’s one available in the second.
Dan’s Top 5 players remaining
- 15. Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
- 20. Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
- 24. Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
- 25. Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
- 26. Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
Panthers picks
- 1-30: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
- 2-62: (coming April 22)
That does it for our picks today. At 9 a.m. ET tomorrow we close out the first round with the Denver Broncos and Mile High Report.
Complete draft results:
1. Tennessee Titans - Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss (Link)
2. Cleveland Browns - Jared Goff, QB, Cal (Link)
3. San Diego Chargers - Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State (Link)
4. Dallas Cowboys - Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (Link)
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Myles Jack, LB, UCLA (Link)
6. Baltimore Ravens - Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State (Link)
7. San Francisco 49ers - DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon (Link)
8. Philadelphia Eagles - Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State (Link)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky (Link)
10. New York Giants - Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame (Link)
11. Chicago Bears - Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida (Link)
12. New Orleans Saints - A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama (Link)
13. Miami Dolphins - Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State (Link)
14. Oakland Raiders - Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State (Link)
15. Los Angeles Rams - Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson (Link)
16. Detroit Lions - Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State (Link)
17. Atlanta Falcons - Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson (Link)
18. Indianapolis Colts - Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama (Link)
19. Buffalo Bills - Reggie Ragland, MLB, Alabama (Link)
20. New York Jets - Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State (Link)
21. Washington - Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor (Link)
22. Houston Texans - Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor (Link)
23. Minnesota Vikings - Josh Doctson, WR, TCU (Link)
24. Cincinnati Bengals - Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss (Link)
25. Pittsburgh Steelers - William Jackson, CB, Houston (Link)
26. Seattle Seahawks - Jonathan Bullard, DL, Florida (Link)
27. Green Bay Packers - Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama (Link)
28. Kansas City Chiefs - Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech (Link)
29. Arizona Cardinals - Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss (Link)
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