However, I will say that I am very happy with this draft. It didn’t go nearly the way I thought that it would, but I made my peace with my expectations when the Panthers picked Star Lotulelei at 14 overall. I was screaming offensive line for the entire offseason. but Star was too good to pass on.

As I said, things didn’t go my way. The Panthers took two defensive tackles in the first two rounds. I crinkled my brow in confusion at the Kawann Short pick. I’ll admit that. I had the same reaction to the Edmund Kugbila pick. I didn’t see the logic in drafting another D-2 guard. When the Panthers took A.J. Klein I realized what was going on. Dave Gettleman wasn’t drafting for Ron Rivera’s future. Dave Gettleman was drafting for the road that beyond, the road that may not include Ron Rivera.

Let’s not forget the mountainous task that Dave Gettleman has before him in regards to the Panthers salary cap woes. There are several players with large contracts that could be casualties come the offseason next year. Jon Beason, Deangelo Williams, Charles Godfrey. These are players that got paid as if they were top 10 players at their positions. Beason was, but has not earned the contract that he was given. So what do you do? You look for replacements. Cheaper replacements. It’s chess, not checkers.

A.J. Klein could be looked at as a replacement for Beason, just as Kenjon Barner can be looked at as a replacement for Deangelo Williams.  He has freedom with Kugbila because he’s going to take time to develop. He’s not worried about plugging him in as a starter. Gettleman has the luxury of letting him develop. Ron Rivera does not. Running back is no longer a premium position anymore. Barner could make a difference as a kick returner immediately, be a third down back, catch some passes in space out of the backfield, and produce. He intelligently made draft picks based upon what our true need is. And our true need is salary cap relief.

Also, I think that we’re going to have one of the best front seven’s in football if injuries don’t pile up on us. Our offense hasn’t had much difficulty scoring points the past couple of seasons, they just didn’t get any help from the defense until the mid-point of last season when the playoffs were already out of reach. I see good things on the horizon for the Carolina Panthers. And I’ll grade this draft in three years. Just be patient until then.

Klein looks to take over the duties of the strong-side linebacker in Ron Rivera’s 4-3 scheme, replacing jettisoned OLB James Anderson.

He’s an athletic player capable of playing on the outside and will probably wind up being Luke Kuechly’s backup while learning the ropes in the NFL and the different responsibilities of being the SAM linebacker. He has the speed to cover many NFL tight ends and can be a three-down player. For those of you grumping about taking Edmund Kugbila “too early,” let me point out that Klein had a 3rd-4th round grade and was nabbed in the 5th, so keep in mind that those on the outside of the NFL looking in don’t know everything.

Klein has outstanding ability to diagnose a play and read his keys, putting him in early position to make a play. He has good acceleration and is quicker than he looks at 6’1″ 250 lbs. He’s very good at shedding would-be blockers and uses his speed to often beat blockers to the ball. He’s a disruptive player who can cover in the passing game and is a good open-field tackler, something the Panthers need more of.

As athletic as he is for his size, he’s not quite on that level of athleticism most teams look for in an outside linebacker but it appears that his instincts make up for that half-step or so of lost speed. His lack of height plus lack of high top-end speed will make him better in zone coverage than in man-to-man, especially against the more elite TEs in the NFL who are all going to be several inches taller than Klein as well, but he can get the job done – depending on the match-up – in man coverage.

He was a 3-year starter at Iowa State and is a smart player who can play any linebacker position, but the SAM spot looks to be where he’ll be employed in the Carolina Panthers defensive scheme.

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Here’s a hint: with all the trading, rank your picks more in terms of best available and throw in a dash each of positional need and positional value and make your list disregarding the teams who are slated to draft there.

The Miami Dolphins first demonstrated why mock drafts are rapidly becoming antiques. There were 4 trades, with the Dolphins trading up to the #3 spot, after the top two LTs, Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel, went 1-2. People assumed they were going up to get Lane Johnson and they took Oregon’s Dion Jordan, a lean and tall defensive end with blazing speed. They still need an offensive tackle (look for that Branden Albert trade to go through today) and a cornerback. They’ll grab those guys early rather than later I’m sure.

The second trade was more predictable in a way. It was widely known the New York Jets wanted WR Tavon Austin, the diminutive speedster from West Virginia. So, the Rams traded up to #8 – Buffalo’s pick – and grabbed him there.

Even the first round went a little oddball. UNC guard Jonathan Cooper went #7 overall. A guard going 7th is a story in itself, but it’s also about the fact that Alabama’s stud, Chance Warmack, wasn’t the first guard taken. He went tenth.

When the Panthers’ turn was about to come up and we were waiting for the Jets to pick their second choice while fans drooled over the choices remaining. Sheldon Richardson, Sharrif Floyd, or Star Lotulelei?

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Sheldon Richardson (Missouri) is introduced as the number thirteen overall pick to the New York Jets during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The Jets made the decision a little easier when they took Richardson #13 overall. The question then became Sharrif or Star?

Thankfully, Gettleman and Rivera chose Star.

He’s a more versatile guy than Floyd, Floyd is more raw with upside, but I’d rather take a more polished player if possible in Lotulelei. He was considered a top-3 LOCK a few months ago until some mysterious “heart issue” came up at the combine, forcing him off the drills. Turns out he had a virus, is long over it, and that’s that.

The ONLY player I can think of I wanted more – reasonably speaking – is Chance Warmack. I’ve made my feelings about him clear over the past 2 months – a road-grading guard that would really put some punch into the running game up the middle – but we also needed help in front of 2012 DROY Luke Kuechly. While the run defense got better over that 5-1 6-game stretch to wind up 2012, Lotulelei (that’s low-too-luh-LAY) is one of those players whom you would take even if you had a deep defensive line to rotate in at least – he’s that good.

Star’s choice means the front seven of the defense is all set. My only worry is about the health of our OLBs, but Thomas Davis managed to stay healthy on a trick knee last year so maybe it’ll hold up again. The defense really needs Jon Beason to be healthy, however, as there’s some depth of experience behind the duo, but a drop-off in talent.

Hopefully today the Panthers can address one of the safety spots or the offensive line. FS, OT, and OG are still “need” positions, but that front seven on defense is now looking to make a push for elite status.

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Defensive end Dion Jordan (Oregon) is introduced as the third overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers have the pass rush from the ends, even from back-up ends. D’wan Edwards can pressure the “A” gap inside at times and Lotulelei has the most talent of any Panthers’ DT in years. He’s both a run-stopper and a gap penetrator and could play end if needed as well, so he’s likely a career keeper. But what else stood out over the draft?

Pass-rushers highly sought after

Again, the Dolphins vaulted up to #3 overall not for an offensive tackle but for the most physically-gifted edge-rusher in the entire draft. I think Denver showed everyone what a top duo of pass rushers can do last year with Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. Thank goodness for Faxgate or Dumervil would still be a Bronco.

3 pass rushers went in the top six picks and we knew going in that LTs would likely go 1-2…and they did. After the Dolphins took Jordan at #3, the Detroit Lions added BYU tackle Ziggy Ansah, one of the two “physical freak/raw talent” guys in the draft. Barkevious Mingo went to the Cleveland Browns at #6 instead of CB Dee Milliner, who many had “mocked” to them to pair with CB Joe Haden. It was not to be.

Cornerbacks are still devalued

Alabama CB Dee Milliner has the size at 6’3″ 215 lbs. and the speed at 4.37, 4.31 in the 40-yard dash to be a dominant force against the larger and larger wideouts the NFL is seeing these days, but was eschewed in favor of an elite pass rusher. The Dolphins, who need a starting corner in the worst way, traded up for a pass-rusher, not a corner. They could have stayed PUT and had Xavier Rhodes or D.J. Hayden, but did not.

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Cornerback Xavier Rhodes (Florida State) is introduces as the twenty fifth overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

QB still rules

While “only” one QB went in round one, and not the QB everyone thought it would be, the Buffalo Bills did reach in the first round for their QB, E.J. Manuel from FSU as Geno Smith sat through the entire evening. However, the fact that a QB was drafted in the first round out of THIS class tells me the QB position is still number one. Hardly a shock, but you know, I’d think that an E.J. Manuel would’ve been around in round 2 if he’s “your guy.” If you’re worried, just wait until Geno Smith goes away then trade up to get Manuel, or just wait and see if he falls to you in round 2. He was by far the biggest reach in round 1…other than center Travis Frederick at #31, who had a 3rd-round grade.

Talent trumps need

From what little more than the average fan I do know from the talent-evaluation angle, well, see paragraph 2 of this post. Teams aren’t stupid; they do tend to draft “best available” unless they are just completely stacked at a particular position. With free agency and different players’ contracts rolling off each year, it shouldn’t take long to absorb an “extra” body, if he’s a great prospect, at the expense of an older, pricier veteran at the end of the season. Sure, sometimes a team will take need over talent if the talent levels are close to even, but much more often than not they’ll take the higher-rated guy.

Look at the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South: they let their LT go in free agency to DA BEARSSSSS and need a replacement to protect the franchise. They took Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro (the entire Saints defense is a ‘position of need’) at #15 over say a Justin Pugh, the LT from Syracuse who went at #19 to the GeeeEEEEeeeee-men in New York. With LT having a higher positional value than a safety, the Saints still took the player they thought had the most potential at his position. You can’t protect Drew Brees with a safety!

Round one is done. Two and three are tonight with the rest on Saturday so there will be plenty more coming up.