NFC South: Devon Still
The second round of the draft is shaping up to be a very quiet one for the NFC South.
At the moment, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons are the only two teams with picks in the round. The Panthers have No. 40 overall, and the Falcons have No. 55.
But that’s only at the moment. As we saw in Thursday night’s wild first round, trades can shake things up in a hurry. The Buccaneers and Saints could find ways to trade into the second round, and there are no guarantees the Panthers and Falcons stay where they are.
If they do, Carolina has some decent options at No. 40.
Let’s take a look at the Insider list
of Mel Kiper Jr.’s 10 best-available players. North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins might be the most exciting name on there, and the Panthers could use some depth at cornerback. But this will only happen if the Panthers are comfortable with what they’ve seen from their homework on the issues Jenkins has off the field. There’s a perception the Panthers suddenly stopped caring about off-field matters in last year’s draft. That’s not the case at all. They were willing to draft Brandon Hogan in the fourth round, but that only happened after they did extensive homework and decided his off-field problems didn’t bring a big risk.
A lot of people thought the Panthers would go with a defensive tackle in the first round. They instead chose Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. But I think there’s a chance the Panthers take another big body up front to allow Kuechly and the other linebackers to run free, and help cut down on the rash of linebacker injuries the Panthers have had recently. Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy and Cincinnati’s Derek Wolfe are on Kiper’s list. So is Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still, who many saw as a potential first-round pick.
I’m also looking at Kiper’s list and wondering if a couple of guys could still be around for Atlanta’s pick. Mississippi Bobby Massie and Stanford’s Jonathan Martin didn’t go in the first round. That means they’re not blue-chip prospects at left tackle. But they’re only a notch below that, and the Falcons need to get a left tackle to at least compete with Sam Baker in the short term, and possibly to replace him in the long term. Defensive line also seems to be a possibility for the Falcons.
The NFC South is a little short on third-round picks right now. The Bucs have the fifth pick in the third round. The Falcons have the 21st pick in the round, and the Saints finally join the draft with the 26th pick.
At the moment, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons are the only two teams with picks in the round. The Panthers have No. 40 overall, and the Falcons have No. 55.
But that’s only at the moment. As we saw in Thursday night’s wild first round, trades can shake things up in a hurry. The Buccaneers and Saints could find ways to trade into the second round, and there are no guarantees the Panthers and Falcons stay where they are.
If they do, Carolina has some decent options at No. 40.
Let’s take a look at the Insider list
of Mel Kiper Jr.’s 10 best-available players. North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins might be the most exciting name on there, and the Panthers could use some depth at cornerback. But this will only happen if the Panthers are comfortable with what they’ve seen from their homework on the issues Jenkins has off the field. There’s a perception the Panthers suddenly stopped caring about off-field matters in last year’s draft. That’s not the case at all. They were willing to draft Brandon Hogan in the fourth round, but that only happened after they did extensive homework and decided his off-field problems didn’t bring a big risk.
A lot of people thought the Panthers would go with a defensive tackle in the first round. They instead chose Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. But I think there’s a chance the Panthers take another big body up front to allow Kuechly and the other linebackers to run free, and help cut down on the rash of linebacker injuries the Panthers have had recently. Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy and Cincinnati’s Derek Wolfe are on Kiper’s list. So is Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still, who many saw as a potential first-round pick.
I’m also looking at Kiper’s list and wondering if a couple of guys could still be around for Atlanta’s pick. Mississippi Bobby Massie and Stanford’s Jonathan Martin didn’t go in the first round. That means they’re not blue-chip prospects at left tackle. But they’re only a notch below that, and the Falcons need to get a left tackle to at least compete with Sam Baker in the short term, and possibly to replace him in the long term. Defensive line also seems to be a possibility for the Falcons.
The NFC South is a little short on third-round picks right now. The Bucs have the fifth pick in the third round. The Falcons have the 21st pick in the round, and the Saints finally join the draft with the 26th pick.
With the No. 9 pick in the Blogger Mock Draft Live, I just selected Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly for the Carolina Panthers.
I went into the draft thinking I would target Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and Kuechly. Cox was gone before I got on the clock, so I went with Kuechly.
Why? He reminds me a lot of Dan Morgan, who the Panthers drafted in the first round in 2001. Yeah, I know Morgan dealt with injury issues throughout his career. But, when he was on the field, he was a tremendous player. Take away the injuries and Kuechly could be what Morgan never had the chance to become: a Pro Bowl regular. Like Morgan, who was a favorite of general manager Marty Hurney, Kuechly is coming off a very productive college career and is ready to play immediately in the NFL.
I know a lot of people are saying the Panthers don’t need a linebacker because they have Thomas Davis and Jon Beason coming back from injuries. But Davis is coming back from his third ACL injury and there are no guarantees he’ll be the same player he once was. The Panthers can’t afford to go through another season like last year when they were plugging in backups and special-teams players and asking them to start at linebacker.
I did give some thought to taking defensive tackles Dontari Poe, Devon Still and Michael Brockers, but I don’t think they’re as much of a sure thing as Cox. Besides, I think the Panthers are better off at defensive tackle than people give them credit for. They have Ron Edwards coming back from an injury that kept him out all of last season and they’ve got Terrell McClain and Sione Fua returning for their second seasons. I did give a little thought to taking an offensive tackle because the Panthers need to find an heir to Jordan Gross at some point.
But Carolina needs a guy that can help the defense immediately. That’s why Kuechly was the choice.
I went into the draft thinking I would target Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and Kuechly. Cox was gone before I got on the clock, so I went with Kuechly.
Why? He reminds me a lot of Dan Morgan, who the Panthers drafted in the first round in 2001. Yeah, I know Morgan dealt with injury issues throughout his career. But, when he was on the field, he was a tremendous player. Take away the injuries and Kuechly could be what Morgan never had the chance to become: a Pro Bowl regular. Like Morgan, who was a favorite of general manager Marty Hurney, Kuechly is coming off a very productive college career and is ready to play immediately in the NFL.
I know a lot of people are saying the Panthers don’t need a linebacker because they have Thomas Davis and Jon Beason coming back from injuries. But Davis is coming back from his third ACL injury and there are no guarantees he’ll be the same player he once was. The Panthers can’t afford to go through another season like last year when they were plugging in backups and special-teams players and asking them to start at linebacker.
I did give some thought to taking defensive tackles Dontari Poe, Devon Still and Michael Brockers, but I don’t think they’re as much of a sure thing as Cox. Besides, I think the Panthers are better off at defensive tackle than people give them credit for. They have Ron Edwards coming back from an injury that kept him out all of last season and they’ve got Terrell McClain and Sione Fua returning for their second seasons. I did give a little thought to taking an offensive tackle because the Panthers need to find an heir to Jordan Gross at some point.
But Carolina needs a guy that can help the defense immediately. That’s why Kuechly was the choice.
It’s looking like there’s a good chance the players the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers choose in the first round of this year’s NFL draft will be in New York that night.
The league has announced that an all-time high 26 players will be at Radio City Music Hall for the first round. I’m looking at the list and the three realistic candidates for the Bucs at No. 5 -- LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Alabama running back Trent Richardson and Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon -- are scheduled to be in New York.
The Panthers have the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. I’m looking at the list and seeing multiple players that have a chance to end up in Carolina, including Blackmon, LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers, North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples, Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, Georgia offensive tackle Cordy Glenn, Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe and Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still. I also think Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly and Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff are also possibilities for the Panthers, but they’re not scheduled to be in New York.
Aside from the players mentioned above, here’s the rest of the list of guys scheduled to be in New York for the draft:
The league has announced that an all-time high 26 players will be at Radio City Music Hall for the first round. I’m looking at the list and the three realistic candidates for the Bucs at No. 5 -- LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Alabama running back Trent Richardson and Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon -- are scheduled to be in New York.
The Panthers have the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. I’m looking at the list and seeing multiple players that have a chance to end up in Carolina, including Blackmon, LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers, North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples, Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, Georgia offensive tackle Cordy Glenn, Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe and Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still. I also think Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly and Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff are also possibilities for the Panthers, but they’re not scheduled to be in New York.
Aside from the players mentioned above, here’s the rest of the list of guys scheduled to be in New York for the draft:
- Mark Baron, safety, Alabama
- Coby Fleener, tight end, Stanford
- Michael Floyd, receiver, Notre Dame
- Stephon Gilmore, cornerback, South Carolina
- Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor
- Dont’a Hightower, linebacker, Alabama
- Stephen Hill, receiver, Georgia Tech
- Melvin Ingram, defensive end, South Carolina
- Matt Kalil, offensive tackle, Southern California
- Dre Kirkpatrick, cornerback, Alabama
- Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford
- Shea McClellin, linebacker, Boise State
- Nick Perry, defensive end, Southern California
- Rueben Randle, receiver, LSU
- Ryan Tannehill, quarterback, Texas A&M
- Courtney Upshaw, linebacker, Alabama
- Kendall Wright, receiver, Baylor
The Carolina Panthers are having a neighbor in for a visit Monday.
North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples reportedly is having his pre-draft visit with the team Monday. Although defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Devon Still have been commonly linked to the Panthers at the No. 9 spot, don’t rule out Coples as a possibility.
Defensive end might not seem like a huge priority for the Panthers, but coach Ron Rivera wants to make his defense as explosive as possible. Coples has the tools to be a disruptive pass-rusher and that would only help Carolina’s entire defense.
The knock you see in draft reports on Coples is that he doesn’t show up on every play. Gee, does that sound familiar to Carolina fans?
That was the exact same knock that followed Julius Peppers, another North Carolina defensive end, when he entered the league in 2002. Peppers quickly shed that label as he produced 12 sacks as a rookie. Peppers was a little streaky at times, but he produced double-digit sacks in six of his eight seasons in Carolina and offenses always had to account for him.
If the Panthers think Coples can be anything like Peppers, they have to at least consider drafting him.
North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples reportedly is having his pre-draft visit with the team Monday. Although defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Devon Still have been commonly linked to the Panthers at the No. 9 spot, don’t rule out Coples as a possibility.
Defensive end might not seem like a huge priority for the Panthers, but coach Ron Rivera wants to make his defense as explosive as possible. Coples has the tools to be a disruptive pass-rusher and that would only help Carolina’s entire defense.
The knock you see in draft reports on Coples is that he doesn’t show up on every play. Gee, does that sound familiar to Carolina fans?
That was the exact same knock that followed Julius Peppers, another North Carolina defensive end, when he entered the league in 2002. Peppers quickly shed that label as he produced 12 sacks as a rookie. Peppers was a little streaky at times, but he produced double-digit sacks in six of his eight seasons in Carolina and offenses always had to account for him.
If the Panthers think Coples can be anything like Peppers, they have to at least consider drafting him.
Here's a look at the top Tuesday morning headlines from around the NFC South.
Here’s a debate about whether Atlanta’s trade up to get receiver Julio Jones was worth the draft picks the Falcons gave up as compensation. It’s a legitimate question, and you can make points on both sides of the argument. But I think time will show the Falcons did the right thing by trading for Jones. He’s going to be a special player. We saw flashes of it in his rookie season. Consistency is the next step, and that will come soon because Jones will get a full offseason program this year.
Stephen Holder takes a look at how a potential trade by St. Louis out of the No. 2 spot in the draft would impact the Buccaneers at No. 5. He says it likely would mean the Bucs would have their choice at No. 5 between LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. That appears to be a no-lose decision. Both are good players, and the Bucs have needs at both positions.
In this chat, Jeff Duncan said the Saints will continue to negotiate with quarterback Drew Brees right up until the March 5 deadline. He says the Saints will only use the franchise tag on Brees if all else fails, and says it’s more likely the tag will be used on guard Carl Nicks.
D. Orlando Ledbetter writes that the market for Atlanta free-agent linebacker Curtis Lofton has been set by the five-year $42.5 million deal signed by Cleveland’s D’Qwell Jackson. While Lofton’s agent might use that as a negotiating point, I’m not sure Jackson’s deal is a realistic parameter for Lofton’s deal. Lofton is a very good middle linebacker and a defensive leader, but I don’t think it would be accurate to say he’s one of the top five middle linebackers in the game. I think his market value is somewhere less than Jackson’s.
Nakia Hogan writes that one draft prospect who could be intriguing to the Saints is West Virginia’s Bruce Irvin. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, he’s a “tweener’’ between a defensive end and a linebacker. But the guy has unique pass-rush skills, and the Saints need to improve their rush. They don’t have a first-round pick, but Irvin could be available in the second round.
Defensive tackles Michael Brockers and Devon Still are commonly mentioned as prime candidates for the Panthers, who have the No. 9 pick. But Joseph Person writes that Memphis tackle Dontari Poe has worked himself into the argument with a strong showing at the combine.
Here’s a debate about whether Atlanta’s trade up to get receiver Julio Jones was worth the draft picks the Falcons gave up as compensation. It’s a legitimate question, and you can make points on both sides of the argument. But I think time will show the Falcons did the right thing by trading for Jones. He’s going to be a special player. We saw flashes of it in his rookie season. Consistency is the next step, and that will come soon because Jones will get a full offseason program this year.
Stephen Holder takes a look at how a potential trade by St. Louis out of the No. 2 spot in the draft would impact the Buccaneers at No. 5. He says it likely would mean the Bucs would have their choice at No. 5 between LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. That appears to be a no-lose decision. Both are good players, and the Bucs have needs at both positions.
In this chat, Jeff Duncan said the Saints will continue to negotiate with quarterback Drew Brees right up until the March 5 deadline. He says the Saints will only use the franchise tag on Brees if all else fails, and says it’s more likely the tag will be used on guard Carl Nicks.
D. Orlando Ledbetter writes that the market for Atlanta free-agent linebacker Curtis Lofton has been set by the five-year $42.5 million deal signed by Cleveland’s D’Qwell Jackson. While Lofton’s agent might use that as a negotiating point, I’m not sure Jackson’s deal is a realistic parameter for Lofton’s deal. Lofton is a very good middle linebacker and a defensive leader, but I don’t think it would be accurate to say he’s one of the top five middle linebackers in the game. I think his market value is somewhere less than Jackson’s.
Nakia Hogan writes that one draft prospect who could be intriguing to the Saints is West Virginia’s Bruce Irvin. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, he’s a “tweener’’ between a defensive end and a linebacker. But the guy has unique pass-rush skills, and the Saints need to improve their rush. They don’t have a first-round pick, but Irvin could be available in the second round.
Defensive tackles Michael Brockers and Devon Still are commonly mentioned as prime candidates for the Panthers, who have the No. 9 pick. But Joseph Person writes that Memphis tackle Dontari Poe has worked himself into the argument with a strong showing at the combine.
Time for a look at the top Monday morning headlines from around the NFC South.
Carolina coach Ron Rivera said he plans to be a little more involved with the defense in his second season. That’s a good thing. Rivera is a coach with a strong defensive background, and Carolina’s defense struggled in his first season. Now that he has a grasp of his duties as a head coach, that should give Rivera a little more time to get involved with the defense.
Wide receiver Mario Manningham, a potential free agent, said he’s 75 percent sure he’s done with the New York Giants. Keep an eye on this one Tampa Bay fans. The Bucs need help at receiver. Former Giants quarterback coach Mike Sullivan knows Manningham well, and is now the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay.
Former Atlanta and Carolina linebacker Chris Draft is working to raise awareness about lung cancer after losing his wife to the disease. Draft’s wife never smoked, and a big part of his message is that non-smokers can get the disease.
Tampa Bay’s coaching staff and scouting staff are going through an important adjustment period. The scouting staff is trying to get a grasp on what the new coaches like in players at various positions. The Bucs might be a bit behind in this process because coach Greg Schiano was hired late and it took some time for him to fill out his staff.
The Falcons won’t begin their offseason program until April 23. That’s not uncommon. All teams will be starting around that same time. That’s about a month later than in the past, but the new collective bargaining agreement cut down the time teams are allowed to hold offseason programs.
Penn State’s Devon Still caused a bit of a stir at the combine by saying he’s “hands down’’ the top defensive tackle in the draft. Some say that honor belongs to LSU’s Michael Brockers. Either way, it’s likely the Panthers are keeping a close eye on both. They have the No. 9 pick in the draft, and could be using it on a defensive tackle.
Carolina coach Ron Rivera said he plans to be a little more involved with the defense in his second season. That’s a good thing. Rivera is a coach with a strong defensive background, and Carolina’s defense struggled in his first season. Now that he has a grasp of his duties as a head coach, that should give Rivera a little more time to get involved with the defense.
Wide receiver Mario Manningham, a potential free agent, said he’s 75 percent sure he’s done with the New York Giants. Keep an eye on this one Tampa Bay fans. The Bucs need help at receiver. Former Giants quarterback coach Mike Sullivan knows Manningham well, and is now the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay.
Former Atlanta and Carolina linebacker Chris Draft is working to raise awareness about lung cancer after losing his wife to the disease. Draft’s wife never smoked, and a big part of his message is that non-smokers can get the disease.
Tampa Bay’s coaching staff and scouting staff are going through an important adjustment period. The scouting staff is trying to get a grasp on what the new coaches like in players at various positions. The Bucs might be a bit behind in this process because coach Greg Schiano was hired late and it took some time for him to fill out his staff.
The Falcons won’t begin their offseason program until April 23. That’s not uncommon. All teams will be starting around that same time. That’s about a month later than in the past, but the new collective bargaining agreement cut down the time teams are allowed to hold offseason programs.
Penn State’s Devon Still caused a bit of a stir at the combine by saying he’s “hands down’’ the top defensive tackle in the draft. Some say that honor belongs to LSU’s Michael Brockers. Either way, it’s likely the Panthers are keeping a close eye on both. They have the No. 9 pick in the draft, and could be using it on a defensive tackle.
Time for a look at some of the top headlines from around the NFC South.
New Orleans guard Carl Nicks says he would like to remain with the Saints. But the potential free agent is skeptical about the chances of that happening because quarterback Drew Brees, receiver Marques Colston, cornerback Tracy Porter and some others also are no longer under contract. There is virtually no doubt Brees will re-sign. But who else stays remains to be seen. Nicks seems to have his doubts, but I’m guessing he’s the next priority after Brees. Nicks is in his prime and might be the best guard in the league. He also is one of Brees’ main protectors. The Saints are going to invest huge money in Brees. I suspect they’ll be willing to invest huge money in protecting him, even if it means making Nicks the NFL’s best-paid guard.
Mark Cook takes a look at some potential candidates to become offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers. New coach Greg Schiano has yet to announce any staff hires and getting an offensive coordinator might be the most important move he’ll make. The Bucs need someone who can help quarterback Josh Freeman bounce back from a disappointing season.
The Buccaneers reportedly are talking to Pittsburgh defensive assistant Jerry Olsavsky about becoming their linebackers coach.
A stellar rookie season by Carolina quarterback Cam Newton is opening lots of doors. Newton has picked up another endorsement deal, this one with Gatorade.
Atlanta coach Mike Smith said the offensive playbook is nearly complete. The Falcons have new coordinator Dirk Koetter and I’m sure there are some new plays. But I don’t think the playbook has been completely overhauled. A lot of what previous coordinator Mike Mularkey did was because it was what Smith wanted and quite a bit of it worked. Koetter’s bright enough to know he doesn’t have to start from scratch. He just needs to make some tweaks to make the offense more consistent.
Charlie Campbell has his updated mock draft. He has the Bucs taking cornerback Morris Claiborne in the first round. Makes sense because we don’t know if veteran Ronde Barber will be returning and Aqib Talib faces a March trial on an assault charge. Campbell also has the Panthers taking Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still with the No. 8 or 9 pick (the exact spot will be determined by a coin flip). That also makes sense because the middle of the defensive line has been a problem spot for the Panthers in recent years. But I also could see Carolina using its first-round pick on a receiver or a cornerback.
New Orleans guard Carl Nicks says he would like to remain with the Saints. But the potential free agent is skeptical about the chances of that happening because quarterback Drew Brees, receiver Marques Colston, cornerback Tracy Porter and some others also are no longer under contract. There is virtually no doubt Brees will re-sign. But who else stays remains to be seen. Nicks seems to have his doubts, but I’m guessing he’s the next priority after Brees. Nicks is in his prime and might be the best guard in the league. He also is one of Brees’ main protectors. The Saints are going to invest huge money in Brees. I suspect they’ll be willing to invest huge money in protecting him, even if it means making Nicks the NFL’s best-paid guard.
Mark Cook takes a look at some potential candidates to become offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers. New coach Greg Schiano has yet to announce any staff hires and getting an offensive coordinator might be the most important move he’ll make. The Bucs need someone who can help quarterback Josh Freeman bounce back from a disappointing season.
The Buccaneers reportedly are talking to Pittsburgh defensive assistant Jerry Olsavsky about becoming their linebackers coach.
A stellar rookie season by Carolina quarterback Cam Newton is opening lots of doors. Newton has picked up another endorsement deal, this one with Gatorade.
Atlanta coach Mike Smith said the offensive playbook is nearly complete. The Falcons have new coordinator Dirk Koetter and I’m sure there are some new plays. But I don’t think the playbook has been completely overhauled. A lot of what previous coordinator Mike Mularkey did was because it was what Smith wanted and quite a bit of it worked. Koetter’s bright enough to know he doesn’t have to start from scratch. He just needs to make some tweaks to make the offense more consistent.
Charlie Campbell has his updated mock draft. He has the Bucs taking cornerback Morris Claiborne in the first round. Makes sense because we don’t know if veteran Ronde Barber will be returning and Aqib Talib faces a March trial on an assault charge. Campbell also has the Panthers taking Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still with the No. 8 or 9 pick (the exact spot will be determined by a coin flip). That also makes sense because the middle of the defensive line has been a problem spot for the Panthers in recent years. But I also could see Carolina using its first-round pick on a receiver or a cornerback.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
