Carolina Panthers: A Live Draft Diary

Because this might be a long day, evening and night for Carolina Panthers fans everywhere, we are throwing a live draft diary at you!  Here’s how this works.  I’m going to be posting periodically.  Not to say that I’m putting up information on every single pick.  No.

I’m going to be posting random thoughts and trying to maintain sanity (or some level of it) while waiting for the Panthers to go on the clock sometime around 9:30 tonight.  Unless there is a deal involving Julius Peppers at the last minute which is looking more and more unlikely.

Click on “Continue” to view the diary.  And refresh the page often!

9:46 pm EDT:  Our day is over.  Panthers fans, there is one more day of the draft.

9:30: pm EDT:  Sherrod Martin?  A safety?  That’s no payoff after waiting all day, isn’t it?

9:24 pm EDT:  The Patriots picked and we’re on the clock!

9:22 pm EDT:  Paul Kruger, someone I wanted to see in a Panthers uni next season…to Baltimore.  Now, i’m frustrated!

9:20 pm EDT:  Only two picks between us and our pick.

9:17 pm EDT: Fili Moala, another interesting guy, off the board to Indy.

9:15 pm EDT:  Trades ahoy!!!!!  The headline tomorrow will read something like, “Trade-A-Pick.”

9:11 pm EDT:  The guys on television are into joking mode and ignoring the picks as they come in.  That means we’ll be lucky to hear anything from teh podioum about pick 59.  At least we have the internets to tell us about it.

9:09 pm EDT:  Phil Loadholt is finally off the board.  His name has come up a number of times already but no more…a viking.

9:00 pm EDT:  The clock is ticking quickly!  That 59 pick doesn’t look as important now after that deal earlier in the round but it’s still potentially a good player on the way to Charlotte.

8:58 pm EDT:  The Bills traded with Dallas so Dallas didn’t pass.

8:57 pm EDT:  Dallas passes?  Can you tell me what’s going on?  Did the new stadium go to their heads?  If they pass will the league let the next pick come in first?

8:56 pm EDT:  With Massaquoi gone, what does that mean the Panthers will do at 59?  CB?

8:52 pm EDT: Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia WR is off the board to Cleveland.  Could have been a decent fit to Carolina later but he’s gone.

8:46 pm EDT:  Max Unger…just sounds like a football player, doesn’t it?

8:42 pm EDT:  We’re getting closer to the original second-rounder.  A DE taken at 43 could mean a surprise at 59.

8:40 pm EDT:  The team also got a fourth rounder this year for that first next year.

8:35 pm EDT:  Connor Barwin, a pretty underrated TE goes in the second round..  He could be a steal.

8:30 pm EDT:  The Panthers gave up next year’s first rounder.  We go from being happy the team got another pick this season to being pissed that they won’t have a first rounder for two straight years!

8:25 pm EDT:  Pat White goes to Miami.  That is an interesting pick!  WOW!  Could they be thinking more about the wild Cat offense?

8:22 pm EDT: Everette Brown is a Carolina Panther!

8:19 pm EDT:  A TRADE!  The Panthers are on the clock!

8:16 pm EDT: NFL Network has finally gotten to that point where they haven’t gotten back from commercial before a pick is announced.  We may not hear ours at the podium.

8:15 pm EDT:  We’re going to get there before 9:30 with the way things are going.  This is moving along quickly.  By now the team has a list in front of them of guys they are looking at for pick 59.

8:13 pm EDT:  After that deal with Oakland, the Pats got two straight picks.  Darius Butler goes to play for the Cheatriots.

8:11 pm EDT:  Ron Brace, a guy who would have looked good in a Panthers uni, goes to New England.

8:09 pm EDT:  The Patriots gave up a second, fourth and sixth to move up seven spots.  Sounds like a high, high price to pay.

8:06 pm EDT:  The Patriots moved up and saved Davis and the Raiders the embarrassment.

8:05 pm EDT:  Waiting for Al Davis to take another guy with speed who can’t play.

8:02 pm EDT: Eben Britton to Jaguars.  Two tackles in this draft.  Thought they needed a WR to go with Holt.  Hmmm….

7:57 pm EDT:  Ray Anderson is the guy announcing the picks, by the way.  The pick is Ray Maualuga.  Finally.

7:55 pm EDT:  What troubled individual will the Bengals take here?  They can save the guy a trip to Oakland, can’t they?  The pick is…I’ll wait…

7:52 pm EDT:  Jon Gruden and the guys on NFL Network have thrown out something like 50 Twitter-related jokes today.  I don’t know which is worse – Chris Berman’s screaming or these stupid jokes.

7:50 pm EDT:  Alphonso Smith goes to Denver and Maualuga is still out there.  This kid is droppin like a rock.

7:46 pm EDT:  How many trades were there in the first round?  Did anybody keep count?  There’s been another one early in the second.  We might set some kind of record and, in the process, delay Carolina’s pick to Tuesday.

7:44 pm EDT:  Brian Robiskie goe to the Browns.  This kid coudl be a good one.  Is there a deal still in the works for Braylon Edwards?  We’ll see.

7:42 pm EDT:  James Lauraintis finally comes off the board.  He’s a tough kid.  Seems like a decent value pick for the Rams to me.

7:40 pm EDT:  No Players from Miami were selected in the first round since the Reagan administration or something.  Awwww!!!!!!!

7:40 pm EDT:  We’re on to that point where the commissioner is off for the rest of the day and that “other dude” is making the announcements.  I wonder if we’ll even hear the announcement of our first pick?

WE’RE ON TO THE SECOND ROUND!

7:30 pm EDT:  Pittsburgh closes out the first round with Evander Hood.

7:25 pm EDT: Giants with Chris Wells at 31.

WILL IT BE 9:30 WHEN THE PANTHERS ARE ON THE CLOCK OR BEFORE?

7:18 pm EDT:  Titans take Britt and move us within two picks of the end of the first round.

7:11 pm EDT:  Maualuga is still on the board…that’s a surprise.

7:10 pm EDT:  Going to see the end of the first round very soon.  WHEW!

7:09 pm EDT:  Nick to the Giants at 29.

7:05 pm EDT:  My guess is that some team is going to be glad that Hakeem Nicks fell to them.

7:02 pm EDT:  Buffalo, a team we’ll get a close look at this season, take Eric Wood, a center.

7:00 pm EDT:  Donald Brown to Indy.  This draft is getting strange.  There are some players dropping big time!

6:58 pm EDT:  Honestly, anger is setting in about Peppers.  How do you think he’ll perform next season?  If he’s playing for free agency he’ll do exactly like he did last season, look great 4 plays out of every game and disappear for the rest.  It’s beginning to dawn on me that having him back may not be such a good thing.

6:55 pm EDT:  Clay Matthews, son of Clay Matthews, goes to Green Bay at 26.

6:52 pm EDT:  Belichick trades for the second times in the first round and trails the man he hates, Eric Mangini, by one trade.

6:51 pm EDT:  Is it possible for boredom to be fatal?

6:47 pm EDT:  25the pick – Vontae Davis.  A CB, what a shocker that Bill Parcells takes a corner!

6:44 pm EDT:  Some surprising talent is still on the board.  Things could still be interesting when the Panthers go on the clock

6:40 pm EDT:  Falcons take Peria Jerry.  Funny how the commissioner couldn’t come up on stage to announce the pick because the Oher family was still on the sage holding things up.

6:35 pm EDT:  Ravens take Oher at 23.  Surprised he slid this far.

6:30 pm EDT:  Nearly halfway to our pick.  This waiting is killing me.

6:27 pm EDT:  We’ll be facing Percy Harvin this season with the Vikings!  Who is their QB again?

6:24 pm EDT: The Browns finally select…Alex Mack.

6:22 pm EDT:  The Browns are on the clock…again.

6:18 pm EDT:  The Lions second pick in the first round for their rebuilding process…Brandon Pettigrew.

6:14 pm EDT:  Maclin goes at number 19.  Could be a major steal depending on what Philly gave up to move to that spot.

6:10 pm EDT:  The Browns are on the clock for the third time.  Will they actually make a pick?  Nope!  They have traded again!

6:06 pm EDT:  Ayers, the one-year-wonder, goes to Denver at 18.

6:02 pm EDT:  Josh Freeman, a fan favorite, goes number 17.

5:46 pm EDT:  Brian Cushing has the most impressive ponytail I’ve seen on a player in years!

5:44 pm EDT:  Houston turns in a pick so we’re moving right along.

5:40 pm EDT:  The Saints go defense…again!

5:35 pm EDT:  Orakpo’s first purchase with the big paycheck?  A big old bed!

5:34 pm EDT:  Orakpo to Redskins, of course.  Denver screws up and Dan Snyder takes advantage.

5:33 pm EDT: Knowshown Moreno to Denver at 12?  REACH!

5:30 pm EDT:  Not that I’m keeping score or anything but only four hours until our Panthers should be on the clock.

5:25 pm EDT:  Maybin to Buffalo.  Interesting.

5:25 pm EDT:  Is Crabtree a prima donna?  We’ll see but somebody is going to have a hard time covering this kid.

5:22 pm EDT:  Best value of this draft coudl be Michael Crabtree going number 10 to Niners.

5:11 pm EDT:  The wait is killing me!  Could the Panthers trade up with Peppers to get Crabtree?  My mind is swirling with possibilities.

5:06 pm EDT:  The guy I honestly feel is the best player in this draft, save maybe Aaron Curry, Michael Crabtree is still available at pick number 9.  This is unbelievable.  Some team is going to steal him.

5:02 pm EDT:  Al Davis has officially shown that his sanity is not only to be qeustioned but is GONE!

4:56 pm EDT:  Heyward-Bay to Oakland to be wasted by the Raiders.

4:52 pm EDT:  Andre Smith, the first near guaranteed bust of the draft is picked by Cincinnati.

4:50 pm EDT:  Only another 4 and a half hours to go!

4:45 pm EDT:  High price paid for Sanchez.  A first, second and three players.  WOW!

4:43 pm EDT:  Will Sanchez be a bust?

4:40 pm EDT:  Finally a trade and the Jets are involved.

4:30 pm EDT:  Seattle takes Aaron Curry.  Great player and great pick at four!

4:25 pm EDT:  First reach of the draft at 3 with the Chiefs taking Tyson Jackson?

4:15 pm EDT:  Jason Smith to the Rams.

4:12 pm EDT:  The Rams are taking a long time.  Is there a trade here at nunber two?

4:03 pm EDT:  Not much suspense with that first pick.  Now St. Louis goes on the clock and we can be under way for real!

4:00 pm EDT:  At least the draft has started.  We only have another 5 and a half hours to wait!

3:50 pm EDT:  If you have Firefox and you’re trying to watch the draft on NFL’s website, it won’t work.  Switch to IE.

3:42 pm EDT:  Waiting through for the Panthers to picks could be a painful experience!

3:21 pm EDT:  If anyone went to Carowinds for the draft party today I wonder if they stayed to meet the players or if they went to the water park?

3:07 pm EDT:  The chat has begun!

3:05 pm EDT:  The chat seems to be a little slow to start.  Be patient, Panthers fans.  We’ll be up and running shortly.

2:57 pm EDT:  Our NFL Draft chat is about to kick off.  Join in as all 32 teams will be represented by bloggers and fans from all over the country.

2:30 pm EDT:  Hard to believe the money thrown at Matt Stafford before he ever plays a down in the NFL.  Mike Minter told us on the show a couple of weeks ago that he felt the league has it wrong.  I’m beginning to believe him.

2:15 pm EDT:  Amazing how jumping from site to site makes you think there just might be some news.  It’s doubtful that anything happens but if I look maybe there will be some sort of update.

1:52 pm EDT:  Logged in and ready for the live chat that will start at 3pm.  Don’t miss it!  32 teams and 32 opinions.  Join in and talk a little smack or just catch up with fans from all over the country!

1:44 pm EDT:  Bored and waiting for the draft to start.  At least let’s hear some news.  Detroit has a new QB and St. Louis might be getting one of their own.  I’m beginning to think if there is no news to report on Julius Peppers by now, there won’t be any.  He hasn’t signed his tender offer and any offers would have to go through his agent, as a result.