NFL Draft: Panthers Poised to Pounce

Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman will have a variety of options at pick No. 8, but does he have the patience to wait…

The Carolina Panthers have been rumored to be draft day trade partners both up and down the board when the draft commences on Thursday night. First-round selection probabilities have been linked to a multitude of positions on both sides of the football but only those inside the Carolina draft room know where their loyalties lie.

Franchise quarterback Cam Newton needs help on offense but Gettleman doesn’t have a history of selecting skill positions, drafting only six in his tenure. Minus receivers Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess, none have come before the fifth round.

Three of those six have been running backs but only Cameron Artis-Payne remains on the current roster. It is probable that Gettleman and the Panthers go all in this year selecting either Leonard Fournette from LSU or Stanford running back, Christian McCaffrey. However, recent indications are that both may be already assigned to other teams when Carolina is on the clock.

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Enter another linemen. Gettleman has been extremely successful drafting both offensive and defensive linemen throughout his time in Carolina. The Panthers maintain the services of Kawann Short, Star Lotulelei, Trai Turner, Vernon Butler and Daryl Williams  on both sides of the football from Gettleman drafts.

Needing both youth and depth at defensive end, Stanford’s Solomon Thomas could now be a target for the Panthers. Originally projected as the No. 2 overall pick behind defensive end Myles Garrett, Thomas may fall to Carolina – especially if both Fournette and McCaffrey are off the board.

San Francisco is now rumored to be targeting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick and nobody is 100-percent certain that the Browns take Garrett, not even him, although that would significantly shake things up.

Regardless, rumors of McCaffrey’s rise to Carolina began after coach Ron Rivera, assistant general manager Brandon Beane and others attended Stanford’s pro day but they met with Thomas following.

Next: Final 7-Round Mock Draft

Nothing will be verified until following tomorrow’s selection, but if Gettleman and the Panthers targeted Thomas from day one, smoke screened McCaffrey and downplayed their interest to see Thomas drop to pick No. 8, it would be one of the ultimate draft day stories.