The Panthers have a pretty good pick in this year’s NFL draft. By the time the 14^th pick of the 2013 draft rolls around, there will still be a large number of talented players around for the picking. I really have been considering the possibility of the Carolina Panthers taking a Wide Receiver in the 1^st round and I think the two best Wide Receivers in this year’s draft class are Cordarrelle Patterson and Tavon Austin. Though most websites and mock drafts have Austin as the better player, I really think that Cordarrelle is the best Receiver in the draft.

I want the next high profile Panther Wide Receiver to be from the Calvin Johnson build. Tall, athletic, strong, and fast, these are the things I want in a Panthers Wide Receiver. Cordarrelle Patterson has all of that. He has height, standing in at six foot two inches, and has a vertical that proved to be one of the best of this year’s combine, 37 inches. His speed however is one of the few things in question, his time in the 40-yard dash time of 4.42 seconds. The difference between his and Austin’s time may seem small, but the difference in a 4.42 and a 4.34 40-yard dash says a lot about the speed of a player.

Dec 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Tavon Austin (1) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Syracuse defeated West Virginia 38-14. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Now Tavon Austin is a great prospect in his own right, but I see him as a Steve Smith type of receiver and for the Panthers I think a tall, athletic receiver would be best for the Carolina Panthers future.  Austin doesn’t really possess the qualities of a reliable route receiver, even though his break-out/playmaking abilities are off the charts. Either way, I think both players will have bright futures in the NFL; Patterson just seems to be the better fit for the Panthers going forward.

Cordarrelle Patterson has some issues that many think will hurt his draft stock. He is extremely young and untested. Patterson only spent one year at the University of Tennessee and apparently has some issues with authority. He has also been known to use his body to catch instead of his hands, even when it wasn’t necessary. It has also been reported that Patterson doesn’t like to catch the ball at the highest point, even though his vertical is quite good.

Though Patterson is very raw in his abilities he has tremendous potential as a play maker. Patterson and Austin will definitely be first round picks in the 2013 NFL Draft and I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them is the first Wide Receiver picked up in the entire draft. I just think that the Panthers could make do with Patterson instead of Austin as their next head-lining Wide Receiver. Those are just my thoughts though, and I would love to hear yours. Please leave them in the comments below.

Tennessee’s Cordarrelle Patterson just ran a 4.37 and likely solidified his position on NFL teams’ draft boards as the top wide receiver prospect in the draft as California’s Keenan Allen won’t be working out until his pro day in March.

Other than Patterson, the WR prospect that most wanted to see is former Michigan QB Denard Robinson. He comes into the draft with questions, obviously, since he’s trying to reach the next level as a receiver that played his college ball at a different position.

He certainly didn’t disappoint, running a 4.34 in the 40.

Connor Vernon, the WR from Duke who holds ACC career records in receptions and yardage, ran a 4.59 time. He’ll have to play some special teams and will be a slot receiver at the NFL level.

Patterson’s a guy who has the size to play any WR position at 6’2″ 216 lbs. He has great size and speed for the position, 9-inch hands, and is smooth in and out of his cuts. He finds the soft spot in zones well. He’s a very agile player for his size as well, but the knock on him is he body-catches too much and lacks experience at the FBS level having played only one year at Tennessee in 2012.

He’ll be a first-round pick for sure.

Denard Robinson presents a different picture. He’s a smaller guy at 5’10″ 199 lbs. and doesn’t have an NFL position settled. He’s trying out as a WR, but could well wind up a defensive back if he can’t run good routes or lacks good soft hands. He runs upright, limiting his ability to break tackles, so that’s also a concern. If he sticks as a wideout, he’ll be a slot WR.

One thing that isn’t in question is his overall athletic ability.

No word yet on Leon Sandcastle’s workout.

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