Kevin Avery

Hot Takes w/Monty: Week 8 Rush Review vs. Atlanta Falcons

Hot Takes with Monty

I went to sleep early Thursday night just to wake up to watch that crap game that we were subjected to look at. This was easily the worst performance that we’ve seen all year. Full disclosure: If you are looking for a nice fluff piece about last night’s loss, this won’t be the one. We absolutely looked like s*** last night. I can’t deny that we had a few high points throughout the game but for the most part we played a very sloppy and a very ugly game. Not to mention against a 1-6 NFC South rival at that. That’s just unacceptable. I’m not holding anything back this week so let’s dive right in.

Week 8 Hot Takes w/ Monty

  • Has anyone heard from our Offensive Line?

If there was a word that best described this offensive line as a whole, then that word would be inconsistent. VERY inconsistent if we’re being 100% honest. Seriously, I would argue that we may have THE most inconsistent O-line in the NFL and I don’t think it’s close. To be fair, this may be the most frustrating bunch to watch simply because you just never know what you’re going to get from them. In some games we get glimpses of straight dominance from up front, while in others this O-line looks like a bottom five unit. To make matters even worse our veteran players up front are the ones getting beat the most. Matt Paradis and Chris Reed could seriously make a case for single handedly losing last night’s game by themselves.

Now, I recognize that no game is won or lost by one man. It takes 11 players to win, just like it takes 11 players to lose. So don’t get my comments wrong here. There is plenty of blame to go around and not all of it falls at the feet of the offensive line. But with that being said, they WAS the biggest reason for last night’s loss after getting your QB hit eight times along with allowing three sacks. It’s painfully obvious that our offensive line is a big problem. Outside of Taylor Moton, we could seriously use a complete overhaul up front. And I am not joking. With eight more games left in the season, it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens with this unit moving forward.

  • Form tackling… have you heard of it?

In my previous segment I stated that the offensive line was one of two reasons for us losing the game. Well ladies and gentlemen meet reason number two. The Carolina Panthers defense. This unit has been up and down, hot and cold all year. Therefore, it’s only fitting that we were absolutely freezing all game. Very simply put we looked horrible on the defensive side of the ball. It was hard to even watch at times. We still have linebackers that struggle with simple aspects of football such as shedding blocks, form tackling, and still diving at players feet in space. We ended this game leading the NFL in most missed tackles through eight games. We also have a roster full of corners that are better suited in zone coverage than man coverage, but they STILL struggled with basic zone assignments and reads. We have a defense that is incapable of forcing 3rd down long all season. Our last two opponents have only punted the ball ONCE in the last eight quarters played. These struggles with getting off the field on 3rd down is why the Panthers currently ranks 31st in the NFL in forcing 4th down

.

Yeah I get that we have a young roster and with youth come mistakes. I understand that completely. Which is why I’m not harping on some of the mental mistakes and penalties that we took late in the game. But having a young team doesn’t excuse poor tackling or not knowing your assignment when the ball is snapped. That’s just unacceptable in my opinion. Outside of Brian Burns, Jeremy Chinn and Derrick Brown our defensive unit is depressing. Getting Rasul Douglas back next week should be huge for our secondary but we are in desperate need of a shutdown CB and a pure MLB. These next eight weeks are going to be telling. Phil Snow…. you have your work cut out for you buddy.

  • Coming out party for Curtis Samuel

Keeping this final segment short and sweet here. Let me first start by saying, I owe Curtis Samuel a huge apology. I was one of the loudest people calling for us to trade Samuel by the November 3rd trade deadline. Boy was I dead wrong for wanting him gone. You only need one word to describe Curtis Samuel and that word is BALLER. It doesn’t matter what position you ask him to play. It doesn’t matter where you have him lined up at. Simply put he is a matchup nightmare. Over time he has become a tremendous route runner, with an athletic resume that can allow him to play WR and RB. Perfect example of the definition of a team player. With all this talk amongst fans about Panther players and who is the team’s  “Number One WR”, we often lose sight of how special Samuel is for this offense and for our team. He finished the game with 7 total touches, 54 total yards of offense and 2 TDs. Have you a day Curtis Samuel. Kudos to you!

  • Offensive Game Ball(s): Curtis Samuel

 

  • Defensive Game Ball(s): Brian Burns/Jeremy Chinn

Hot Takes w/Monty: Week 7 Rush Review vs. New Orleans Saints

Hot Takes with Monty

Losing to any divisional rival at any point of the season, regardless of the record of each team, is never fun. Sigh! I know I know. However, after watching yesterday’s game it’s actually kind of hard to be entirely disappointed about the overall outcome. Sure I get it! It’s never fun to lose and moral victories ultimately mean nothing in the NFL.

With that being said, we saw a game that was an even mix of being very entertaining and being very frustrating. We saw an offense that was able to effectively move the ball up and down the field via passing attack while also struggling to establish a running game. We also saw a defense that forced 14 3rd down opportunities yet also allowing 12 of those opportunities to be converted into 1st downs.  Frustrating, I know.

There is so much to break down and discuss from Week 7’s loss. With that being said let’s dive right in to things.

 

Week 7’s Hot Take’s w/ Monty

 

  • What happened to the Defense?

As proud as I’ve been of this new look defense that we’ve assembled this season, this past Sunday on the defensive side of the ball we looked absolutely terrible. Plain and simple. We were terrible at tackling in all aspects of it. Outside of Brian Burns, we were terrible at getting any real pressure up front from our defensive line. Our secondary looked horrendous with the absence of Rasul Douglas as the top cornerback. Our defense struggled all game with trying to contain Alvin Kamara who had a monster day with 148 total yards of offense on 22 total touches. Mix all of that up with allowing 12 conversations on 14 attempts on 3rd down, and it’s pretty clear why we ended up losing Sunday’s contest. There really isn’t much else to say about yesterday’s defensive performance other than we HAVE to be much better down the stretch of the season. WE SIMPLY HAVE TO!

  • Hello DJ Moore!

There has been a common theme with Panther fans since Steve Smith’s departure from the team back in 2014. That theme is we all agree that we desperately needed a “True #1 WR” in this offense. We also agree that we needed a WR that could keep defenses honest and stretch the field vertically while also being able to take pressure off of our other weapons on offense. Ladies and gentlemen look no further than #12 DJ Moore.

Yes I am aware that DJ has started the year off slow and that Robby Anderson has looked like our team’s new #1 WR for the most part. I don’t fully disagree with this notion and I also believe that the Panthers have put themselves in a very good position at WR. I truly do believe we now have the luxury of fielding two “#1 WRs” in Moore and Anderson at the same time. In addition they both have high upsides.

However, I’ve said this all year, and I will continue to say it. DJ Moore has the higher upside between the two receivers and showed it in yesterday’s contest. Four catches on five targets, 93 yards receiving, 23.3 yards per catch (YPC), and two TDs to top it all off. THIS is the DJ Moore that we all have been waiting for, and I don’t see him slowing down anytime soon. He finishes Week 7 currently ranked 7th overall in receiving yards with 567 yards on just 31 catches. He’s also currently ranked 7th overall in YPC (yards per catch) with an average of 18.2 yards per reception which is huge for this offense.

Each week we see Teddy Bridgewater’s bond grow more and more with DJ, which is also huge for this offense. One can only hope and imagine that this is just the beginning for this duo. With Christian McCaffery potentially coming back this week, we could see a much more efficient and a much more explosive offense down the stretch of the year. All and all, great game DJ! You deserve it.

 

  • Franchise QB #5

Keeping this segment short and sweet. It’s been seven weeks of nonstop chatter amongst Panther fans on who and what they believe makes a “Franchise QB”. Whether that is being a QB with crazy arm talent, a QB that makes great decisions with the ball, or a QB who can totally take over and dominate a game with his legs. All three things are very important when looking for a QB of the future and I truly believe you need a solid mix of all three to seriously be considered a franchise QB in the NFL. With that being said it’s time we all admit that Teddy is that even mix of all three that we’ve been looking for.

Teddy has proven he has the arm talent and ability to consistently take shots down field. He has also shown the ability to put the ball in places where only his WR’s can get to them. Let’s not forget that he has the needed athleticism to tuck the ball, move in the pocket and pick up yards with his legs when needed. He also has the accuracy and touch that you want when looking for a franchise QB. He’s a proven leader, a proven winner, and what I love most is, he’s unapologetic about how he approaches the game of football. It’s very simple, Teddy Bridgewater checks all the boxes for today’s “franchise QB” qualifications. It’s time we as a fanbase stopped looking for silly things to criticize this man about and embrace the fact that he likely isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. I am proud to call this man our QB, and so should you.  #KeepPounding Teddy

 

 

  • Offensive Game Ball(s): DJ Moore / Teddy Bridgewater

 

 

 

  • Defensive Game Ball(s): Brian Burns

 

 

 

Hot Takes w/ Monty: Week 4 Rush Review vs. Arizona Cardinals

Hot Takes with Monty


By: Monty Fetti Jr.

To say that it’s been a crazy first month of football in the NFL, especially for our Carolina Panthers, it would be an huge understatement. From beginning the year with no OTAs, no mini camp, no full training camp and no preseason games, to starting the season off 0-2, to losing our best offensive weapon in RB Christian McCaffery for 4-6 weeks.

The year 2020 has been unlike any other for many fans (and just people in general) want to hurry up and put in the past. So it’s fair to say that after starting the season off 0-2 with consecutive ugly losses, many fans were already packing it in and getting ready for the 2021 draft process to start before this season had even really taken shape. Well over the last two weeks that narrative has changed for good reason to. We are a very young, but very talented team that doesn’t know how to quit. I’ll take that everyday of the week. So with that being said…. let’s jump right in.

 

Week 4’s Hot Takes w/ Monty  

 

•Teddy 2 Gloves strikes again

I think it’s time we as Panthers fans have to admit that a lot of us may have been wrong about Teddy Bridgewater’s ability to play QB at a high level. Yes I get it, Teddy isn’t Cam Newton. He isn’t the same athlete that Cam once was. He isn’t the same showman that Cam was. Teddy doesn’t really bring out that same infectious, fun loving energy that Cam brought to this team every single week. I get that! All of which are fair assessments but none of which is actually needed to win games. Teddy Bridgewater, very simply put, is a leader and winner. Doesn’t matter how many times you knock him down. Doesn’t matter how many people have counted him out. As long as he has the ability to play he’s going to give you everything he has in the tank, and he’s going to put the team in the best position to win games. That’s all you really can ask for from your QB. Against Arizona, Teddy looked like a stud by having 70.2% completion as a passer, over 300 total yards of offense along with 3 total TDs. His steady play also allowed us to win the battle of time of possession (T.O.P) with 37:08 to Arizona’s 22:52. There isn’t really much to complain about from Teddy’s game yesterday. We came into BOA stadium looking to build off of Week 3’s success and we accomplished that goal. I am very proud to call Teddy 2 Gloves MY QB of the future. Good job QB 5.

• Complimentary Football

Yesterday we arguably saw the most complete game of football under this new coaching regime that we’ve seen all 2020. Yes, I am aware that we have only played 4 games this season, but it just feels like each and every week this team keeps getting better and better. By no means do I believe we played a perfect game, but yesterday we played the closest thing to a complete game that we’ve seen in years and that all started with our defense. DEs Brian Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos applied consistent pressure on Cardinals QB Kyler Murray all game long. Although it might not have led to any sacks, both Burns and Gross-Matos kept Murray unbalanced and uncomfortable all day. Match that with DT Derrick Brown having his way up front preventing Arizona from running the ball effectively.

The Panthers secondary held WRs DeAndre Hopkins to seven catches for 41 yards, Christian Kirk to three catches for 19 yards, and Larry Fitzgerald to 2 catches for 4 yards. You can see how quickly our defense has evolved from Weeks 1 & 2 up to Week 4. The same can be said about our offensive line, RB corps and WRs. The growth that we’ve seen from the first two games to what we saw yesterday is exciting to say the least. Watching guys like RB Mike Davis step up and put together a solid game for us during the absence of Christian McCaffery is huge. Watching this makeshift offensive line come together and keep Teddy clean all game while opening up running lanes for Davis and Bonnafon to run through is also exciting to watch. Watching Teddy establish a rapport with WR Robby Anderson each week is exciting.

Coming into this game, Teddy had been sacked eight times and was tied for the 10th highest sacked QB in football this season. Fun fact: The Panthers offensive line didn’t allow a sack and only five QB pressures all game long. In Week 3 at the Los Angeles Chargers we saw our offense move the ball effectively, but stalled out in the Red Zone and have to settle for FGs all game. However vs. Arizona Cardinals when we got to the Red Zone, we not only scored … but scored TDs. It’s like we saw a completely different team executing, and I absolutely can not wait to see what this team will look like when Weeks 15 and 16 roll around. All and all, I am very proud with this team performing on both sides of the ball. Great team effort and great team win which is all you can really ask for.

• Rhule The Day

Keeping this segment short, sweet and simple. It’s still way too early to crown or crucify this new coaching staff and regime. I believe we as fans often have unrealistic expectations for new head coaches in the NFL. From fans who think we are a lot better than what we actually are to the fans who think we are a lot worse than what we actually are. The majority of the time, we as fans, are our own worst enemies. That being said, Coach Matt Rhule has earned my respect and has at least earned himself some time and a fair shot to turn this organization around into a winning one.

My biggest question coming into this season was how would Rhule demand respect from his team with a roster full of grown men. How would this coaching staff respond to adversity early in the year when things don’t go well? How can he come in and establish a CONSISTENT WINNING CULTURE here in the Carolinas? I recognize that it’s only been four games but as of right now I think we all can agree that we are ahead of schedule when it comes to growth and development as a team. It’s still a very long season, and no team has ever won the Super Bowl in October. But I will give credit where credit is due. Coach Rhule….. “Kudos brother. Kudos!”

 

Offensive Game Ball: Teddy Bridgewater

Defensive Game Ball: Brian Burns/Rasul Douglas

Tepper’s Training Camp Takeaways

Knowledge with Kevin

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper held a virtual press conference today with the local Charlotte sports media. He spoke on a variety of different topics and answered several questions. Here is a recap of what he said:

  • There has been significant improvement with diversity throughout the franchise on both the management level and the work force.
  • Construction has begun at the site of the new team headquarters in Rock Hill SC which will be ready in the next three years.
  • Has not ruled out returning back to Wofford College in Spartanburg SC as an interim training camp but did not commit either.
  • Having a new open-air stadium has more appeal now than it did a year ago.
  • There has not been any recent conversation with the owners of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry who are relocating which could be the new stadium site.
  • Hopes that fans will be allowed at Bank of America Stadium later on during the season because he loves to interact with the crowds before each game.
  • Is still bothered by the hard decision to furlough/layoff several stadium employees due to changes in the organization and the pandemic effects on the economy.
  • Richardson statue was taken down for safety reasons and will not return to Bank of America Stadium.
  • The decision to release QB Cam Newton was very difficult for him. His wife Nicole was crying alot about it as well.
  • Has not had time to think about GM Marty Hurney contract expiring in June 2021 but will look into it later on. 

4 Man Mocks 1.0: Kevin (Pre-Combine) Part 2

4 Man Mocks

This is the second part of my mock draft that includes scenarios where I was offered more picks by trading back. In the 1st round the Las Vegas Raiders offered me their #12 and #19 overall picks for my #7 overall. Later on in the 4th round the Raiders offered me their 4th round pick (118th overall) and their 5th round pick (159th overall). So this mock will show the nine players I chose based on who was left available.

Round 1(12th overall): Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

At 6-7 and 369 lbs Mekhi Becton is a massive yet highly athletic football player who possesses devastating power that simply overwhelms his opposing defender. His combination of very long arms, excellent body control, quick agile footwork and hand to eye coordination is vastly superior to any other OTs in this current draft class. Now he did have some issues controlling his weight early on in college if there is to have any concerns.

College Stats: 8 QB pressures 0 sacks during the 2019 season. Played in 36 games during three seasons from 2017 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Mekhi Beckton would be the first true franchise left tackle since Panthers Hall of Honor member Jordan Gross retired in 2013. He would allow the QB to feel comfortable on every pass and allow the RB to feel excited on every run.

Round 1(19th overall): CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

At 6-2 and 189 lbs CeeDee Lamb is one of the most natural receivers in terms of hands, ball skills and tracking. He has the elite ability to track the football in the air and adjust. I also like that he is very sudden in and out of breaks and is capable of creating separation with fluidity and burst. Plus he can showcase a variety of techniques to beat press coverage including angles, footwork and hand usage. My only concern is that he did not face many talented CBs in the Big 12 will have to adjust to the more physical style of the NFL.

College Stats: 173 catches 3292 receiving yards 32 TD catches 19.0 yards per catch 54 punt returns 475 return yards 8.8 yards per return in 40 games played during three seasons from 2017 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Lamb is a threat at all levels of the field with the elite body control, ball skills, hands and instincts. He has the upside to develop into one of the premiere offensive weapons in the NFL. He would also be a huge threat in the return game as well.

Round 2(38th overall): Neville Gallimore, DL, Oklahoma

At 6-2 and 304 lbs Neville Gallimore is a disruptive DT in a 40 front defense. His explosive get off and violent hands allows him to attack his blocker before they can properly react. He consistently shows initial quickness, power, hand counters and a high motor. Also will provide plenty of disruption up front when looking to collapse the pocket and get to opposing QBs. He is versatile enough to play both the 1 tech and the 3 tech DT positions. He does need to improve getting off blocks quicker against run plays.

College Stats: 147 tackles 17 tackles for loss 8.5 sacks 5 forced fumbles in 46 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Gallimore would provide an immediate threat as a pass rusher up the middle of both A gaps from Day 1.

Round 3(69th overall): Leki Fotu, DL, Utah

At 6-5 and 337 lbs Leki Fotu has excellent explosiveness for a player of his size along with very good agile footwork. Excellent first step allows for quick penetration and gap control. He is the ideal nose tackle as his power allows him to absorb double team blocks and still collapse the pocket. Does a consistent job of getting off blocks and run plays down despite his size. He does need to improve on having better leverage on a regular basis.

College Stats: 82 tackles 17 tackles for loss 4 sacks 3 forced fumbles in 30 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Fotu would be that 30 front NT that will occupy blockers to keep the LBs free to make plays while also disrupting blocking schemes on run plays.

Round 4(118th overall): Jordan Fuller, S, Ohio State 

At 6-2 and 205 lbs Jordan Fuller is a terrific natural athlete who has dynamic range to cover the entire field. His ability to read the eyes of the opposing QB is above average. He effectively makes plays against the run and the pass. He can play the single high (Cover 1), man to man coverage in the slot and a very effective blitzer. He needs to improve his tackling techniques and tackling angles.

College Stats: 216 tackles 5 INTs 10 pass deflections 5 tackles for loss 3 recovered fumbles in 45 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Fuller would fit the ideal mold of a traditional free safety who roams the back end of the defense. He can also match up well against TEs and RBs in the slot as well.

Round 5(152nd overall): K’Von Wallace, S, Clemson

At 5-11 and 199 lbs K’Von Wallace is a very athletic and high IQ player that can both safety spots and nickel CB. His super acceleration allows him to have great pursuit of the ball. His is able to get his hands on alot of balls. He was used all over the secondary in different positions on any given play. He can also play all four units on special teams at a high level.

College Stats: 156 tackles 5 INTs 15 pass deflections 5.5 tackles for loss 2 sacks 2 forced fumbles in 45 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Wallace would be a versatile swiss army knife type of playmaker all over the secondary.

Round 5(159th overall): Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami (FL)

At 6-1 and 241 lbs Shaquille Quarterman is a super athletic player with a non stop motor and a high football IQ. He played the MLB position with intensity and production. The ability to quickly diagnose plays and attack is fun to watch. He also is a highly effective when asked to blitz. He can improve on not over running plays and getting of blocks quicker.

College Stats: 356 tackles 46.5 tackles for loss 12 sacks 13 pass deflections 2 forced fumbles 5 recovered fumbles 1 INT in 52 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Quarterman would be a prime candidate to play as the starting middle linebacker.

Round 6(184th overall): Harrison Hand, CB, Temple

At 6-0 and 192 lbs Harrison Hand shows the ability to be effective as both a man to man CB and as a zone CB. He has high football awareness and is rarely out of place to make a play on the ball. His long arms and his long strides allow him to cover deep yet recover quick as well. He has very flexible hips which allows him to convert speed to power and lay some big huge hits on the ball carrier. He can improve on refine his techniques when it comes to tighter coverage.

College Stats: 114 tackles 4 INTs 16 pass deflections 5.5 tackles for loss 1 forced fumble in 31 games played during three seasons from 2017 to 2019.

How would he help the team? Hand is a versatile aggressive CB that could also move over to safety in certain packages. He also played for Coach Rhule in 2017 and 2018 at Baylor University before transferring to Temple in 2019.

Round 7(221st overall): Adrian MaGee, OG, LSU

At 6-5 and 335 lbs Adrian MaGee is a very powerful run blocker with a nasty attitude. He blocks hard until the whistle blows. He has long arms that really allows him to lock up the defender in front of him. When pass blocking he does not give ground often. He has good vision to adjust his blocks to where his ball carrier is going. Is versatile enough to play every OL position except C.  He does need to improve his foot speed and his flexibility.

College Stats: Was a Top 5 graded run blocker in the SEC each year that he played.

How would he help the team? MaGee would add power run blocking and attitude intensity at the LG spot.

 

4 Man Mocks 1.0: Kevin (Pre-Combine) Part 1

4 Man Mocks

I decided to do my mock draft a little different. Part 1 is without the any trades being done with the original seven draft picks. Here are the players I chose and the logic behind each one.

Round 1 (7th overall): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

At 6-1 and 192 lbs Jerry Jeudy has all of the tools that it takes to become a #1 WR in the NFL. He is easily the best pure route runner in this draft class. He can also get amazing separation with consistency. He is a natural hands catcher with great hand/eye coordination who can run the NFL advanced tree route with ease. He has the ability to play both outside and in the slot to show off his high YAC(yards after catch).

College Stats: 159 catches 2742 receiving yards 26 TDs 17.2 yards per catch in 36 games played during three seasons from 2017 to 2019.

How would he help the team? The depth chart for the wide receivers is thin as can be after DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel. Adding Jeudy would make our passing game extremely explosive and versatile under first year offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Opposing secondaries would be under extreme pressure trying to cover consistently. Whether short, intermediate or deep pass plays he would be able to thrive and cause havoc.

Round 2 (38th overall): Ross Blacklock, DL, TCU

At 6-4 and 305 lbs Ross Blacklock is a tremendous high impact player that can line and cause havoc in both 30 fronts and 40 fronts along the line of scrimmage. He has above average power and athletic abilities to compliment his size and his non-stop motor. He plays with excellent leverage and violent hands which allows him to make a wide array of moves and counter moves to beat his blocker. When double teamed he does not give ground and is able to split a fair amount of them. Several NFL pro scouts says his game is alot like DT Gerald McCoy.

College stats: 67 tackles 15.5 tackles for loss 5.5 sacks in 24 games played during two seasons from 2017 to 2019. Missed the entire 2018 season with Achilles injury.

How would he help the team? With Kawann Short being the only returning DT under contract this position group needs a huge upgrade of talent. TCU played mostly 3-4 defensive philosophy but also used some 4-3 alignments as well. This fits right into the hybrid defensive schemes that defensive coordinator Phil Snow will be using. Blacklock can play a true nose tackle (0 tech) or defensive end (5 tech) in a 30 front. He can play both DT spots (1 tech, 3 tech) in a 40 front. This position flexibility would allow the ultimate game planning by the coaching staff to create turmoil and disruption to opposing blocking schemes.

Round 3 (69th overall): Solomon Kindley, OG, Georgia

At 6-4 and 336 lbs Solomon Kindley is your prime example of a massive run blocking machine. He plays with powerful violent hands that stalls defenders on the initial contact. His leverage is ideal and consistent which allows him to drive block both vertically and laterally. He can reach block with ease and does a very solid job getting to the second level to block LBs. He played primarily on the left side at LG.

College Stats: Only gave up five QB pressures and zero sacks in 2019.

How would he help the team? Current starting LG Greg Van Roten is a free agent and is expected to be offered very lucrative deals by other teams. This could likely lead to an opening on the starting offensive line. Just based on his talents and skills already Kindley would be an upgrade at the LG position. His resume shows consistency as a above average run blocker and pass blocker.

Round 4 (110th overall): Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA 

At 5-10 and 192 lbs Darney Holmes is a very athletic player with elite speed and high football IQ. Playing man to man coverage is his strongest ability but he is fairly effective playing zone as well. He has no wasted steps and can naturally identify routes and close in quick to make plays. His hand to eye coordination along with excellent acceleration allows him to get his hands on a lot of balls thrown his way. He can play both outside CB and nickel CB. Also he was very dynamic as a returner as well.  Not the best of tacklers in run support but does give effort. Pro Scouts believes if he was three or four more inches taller he would be selected much earlier in the draft.

College Stats: 120 tackles 8 INTs 17 pass deflections 2 forced fumbles 2 recovered fumbles 2 TDs scored 38 KO returns 878 return yards 23.1 yards per return 1 TD in 35 games played during three seasons from 2017 to 2019.

How would he help the team? With the likely departure of CB James Bradberry and Ross Cockrell and Javien Elliott also being free agents there is need for talent at the CB position. Holmes fits exactly what Coach Rhule said he wanted which was very athletic players with high football IQ that needs to be coached up and developed. Having the ability to play outside and inside gives more flexibility to do different schemes and personnel packages. Plus having another player who can play all the special teams is great value as well.

Round 5 (152nd overall): Darrell Taylor, EDGE, Tennessee

At 6-4 and 259 lbs Darrell Taylor is an athletic playmaker who evolved during his college career. He got better every single year and the numbers support it. He takes pride in setting the edge at the line of scrimmage and denying any ball carrier to get outside of him. He is an established solid run defender who constantly makes plays at or behind the LOS. His pass rushing skills have came a long way but plenty of room for improvement. His hustle is never questioned and he brings it hard on every snap. Can make plays regardless if both hands are in the dirt, one in the dirt or standing up in a two point stance.

College Stats: 118 tackles 19.5 sacks 26.5 tackles for loss 7 pass deflections 6 forced fumbles 4 recovered fumbles in 38 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? With proven seasoned veterans Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin being free agents over 30 Taylor would bring that hybrid versatility as both a 4-3 DE and a 3-4 OLB. His athletic abilities again fit exactly what the coaching staff is looking for in player development. Stout run defenders setting the edge is greatly needed on the Panthers defense.

Round 6 (184th overall):  Robert Landers, DL, Ohio State

At 6-1 and 285 lbs Robert Landers is an anchor for the interior of the defensive line. Despite his lack of excessive girth he actually more than held his own taking on double teams and maintaining gap integrity. His quick explosive 1st step allows him to attack the opposing linemen and then use an array of moves to disengage to make the play. His pass rushing game yields way more QB pressures than sacks but is consistent with disrupting the pocket. Very solid against the run as well.

College Stats: 65 tackles 24.5 tackles for loss 2.5 sacks 2 recovered fumbles in 35 games played during four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

How would he help the team? With several defensive lineman being free agents not likely to be re-signed Landers would provide quality depth at the DT rotation while having his raw skills develop. His ability to anchor his gap responsibility by occupying blockers along with QB pressures and his knack for tackles for loss would be greatly needed in the middle of the defense.

Round 7 (221st overall): Cameron Brown, LB, Penn State

At 6-5 and 232 lbs Cameron Brown has the speed and athleticism to cover alot of ground quickly. He excelled at making plays in the flats and sidelines against opposing RBs and TEs. He has a quick burst to the ball once play has been identified. He is known for chasing plays down from the backside and also causing fumbles. He does need to slow down and not over pursue the play which has lead to him having poor tackling angles.

College Stats:  198 tackles 14.5 tackles for loss 4.5 sacks 11 pass deflections 4 forced fumbles 2 recovered fumbles

How would he help the team? In today’s NFL you can never have too many speedy athletes at LB. With Carolina using multiple personnel groups using two, three and four LBs you need players who have a nose for the ball.