Valhalla Mock Draft MMXXIII: Panthers on the Clock (#1)

[swede700]

Another draft season is upon us...my excitement is now a little depressed with the passing of Bud this last weekend, but that will soon pass and I'll begin to look forward to this new era for the team and hope that they will win one for Bud...even if he won't be there to see it.  So, let's move to the forum-wide mock draft, with the Panthers trading for the #1 pick last week from the Bears (and thankfully not ruining the mock right off the bat), they are on the clock with the 1st pick.  Where do they go?  Do they go with the obvious QB pick or do they shock everyone and go defense?  Let's see what you guys think...

[JDBrocks]

I said CJ Stroud. He's the right player for them to build around.

[vike daddy]

5 minutes ago, JDBrocks said:

I said CJ Stroud. He's the right player for them to build around.

Peter King: "Does Young’s size mean 6-3 C.J. Stroud has the best chance to be the pick? Two veteran front-office people I spoke with Saturday think Stroud makes the most sense, but those two men are not making this call. Stroud did play the single-most impressive game of any of the four first-round prospects this year—putting up 41 points on Georgia in the college playoffs, throwing for 348 yards with four TDs and no interceptions—so that counts for something."

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/13/peter-king-fmia-nfl-trade-updates-bears-panthers-jalen-ramsey/

[SemperFeist]

I went with Stroud. There were enough reports, or reported observations, from the combine that the Panthers were making it no secret their interest in CJ Stroud. 

He fits the type of QB that Reich likes, and he’s probably capable of stepping in from day one to start. 

[The Gnat]

It's Stroud or Young, and I went with Young, but I could easily see it going either way.

[wcblack34]

I think it's Richardson. You don't give up that much to move up to the 1st overall pick to not take a generational talent. Richardson is the only one that fits that bill...if he hits.

[swede700]

10 minutes ago, wcblack34 said:

I think it's Richardson. You don't give up that much to move up to the 1st overall pick to not take a generational talent. Richardson is the only one that fits that bill...if he hits.

I don't consider him a "generational" talent.  He has the greatest upside of any QB in this draft, but a generational talent doesn't have the accuracy issues he has.  He's not Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence.  He's just a poor man's Cam Newton.  He has a lot of work to do.  Stroud is the better fit for the Panthers because he can actually start Week 1.  Richardson shouldn't be in a situation where he's being forced to start Week 1 if that team wants to get the best out of him. 

Edited March 13, 2023 by swede700

[wcblack34]

4 minutes ago, swede700 said:

I don't consider him a "generational" talent.  He has the greatest upside of any QB in this draft, but a generational talent doesn't have the accuracy issues he has.  He's not Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence.  He's just a poor man's Cam Newton.  He has a lot of work to do.  Stroud is the better fit for the Panthers because he can actually start Week 1.  Richardson shouldn't be in a situation where he's being forced to start Week 1 if that team wants to get the best out of him. 

There are plenty of bridge options available so he doesn't have to start week 1. And based on what they gave up to move up, the Panthers see this pick as franchise altering. This isn't a move to win in 2023. It's a move to start winning in 2025. 

Stroud may very well be the pick, but if Richardson hits, he blows Stroud, Levis and Young out of the water. I think that's the impact the Panthers are going to be looking for.

[swede700]

5 minutes ago, wcblack34 said:

There are plenty of bridge options available so he doesn't have to start week 1. And based on what they gave up to move up, the Panthers see this pick as franchise altering. This isn't a move to win in 2023. It's a move to start winning in 2025. 

Stroud may very well be the pick, but if Richardson hits, he blows Stroud, Levis and Young out of the water. I think that's the impact the Panthers are going to be looking for.

Well, it's likely to be one of the two...

 

[SemperFeist]

It’s unfortunate that the term “generational” has become so generalized.

[swede700]

14 minutes ago, wcblack34 said:

There are plenty of bridge options available so he doesn't have to start week 1. And based on what they gave up to move up, the Panthers see this pick as franchise altering. This isn't a move to win in 2023. It's a move to start winning in 2025. 

Stroud may very well be the pick, but if Richardson hits, he blows Stroud, Levis and Young out of the water. I think that's the impact the Panthers are going to be looking for.

If there were an Alex Smith-like QB available on the Panthers' roster or if they had a well-respected HC like Andy Reid, I'd be all for them taking Richardson.  But they have a new coaching staff (I like Reich...he was one of the best backup QBs ever) and a sketchy QB room with talk of resigning Sam Darnold.  That's not a room conducive to developing Richardson properly.

[gopherwrestler]

3 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

It’s unfortunate that the term “generational” has become so generalized.

Well I’m terms of Athletic Ability and Size, Anthony Richardson is probably “generational”.

but I do agree with you. They’re pretty few and beyond. Really the last two I see as generational….”as I see it” were probably Luck and Lawrence. 

[vike daddy]

Reich has never coached a short quarterback, and Bryce Young is 5-10. Is that meaningful? I give it a little weight. In Reich’s 17 years as a quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator or head coach, his starting quarterbacks in Indianapolis, Arizona, San Diego, Philadelphia and Indianapolis (again) have been 6-6 (Nick Foles, John Skelton), 6-5 (Peyton Manning, Kerry Collins, Dan Orlovsky, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Rivers again, Wentz again), 6-4 (Curtis Painter, Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Matt Ryan), 6-3 (Ryan Lindley) and 6-2 (Sam Ehlinger). The 6-3 and 6-2 guys totaled six starts, and I suspect that starting Ehlinger twice in Reich’s last two games in Indy was not Reich’s idea. So in 17 years, all but six games Reich coached were started by quarterbacks 6-4 and taller. Reich’s a traditionalist. He played in an era with big quarterbacks. To stake the future of the franchise on a great player, but a 5-10 player, would be unconventional for him. However, Fitterer comes from Seattle, where the 5-10-ish Russell Wilson was a major outlier for a decade. Young has gotten rave reviews for his football smarts, and just finished two years with a demanding NFL QB teacher, Bill O’Brien, at Alabama. So never say never about the short QB.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/13/peter-king-fmia-nfl-trade-updates-bears-panthers-jalen-ramsey/

[swede700]

I'll say never.  There's probably a 0.2 percent chance they'd take Bryce Young. 

[gopherwrestler]

I still like the idea of them trading back again. I’d find it hilarious.

i voted stroud.