Carolina Panthers: NFL Draft history of pick No. 16

A review of recent players selected No. 16 overall, where the Carolina Panthers will be first when on the clock in April.

The Carolina Panthers aging roster is beginning to experience a fair amount of turnover as general manager Marty Hurney prepares for another NFL Draft in his second tenure with the team. Two players, Julius Peppers and Ryan Kalil, have both already announced their plans to retire and Hurney let long-time linebacker Thomas Davis know he would not be offered a contract extension this offseason.

Other veterans are also either set to become free agents or nearing the end of their respective contracts. Safety Mike Adams, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, tackle Chris Clark and tight end Greg Olsen all are seemingly nearing the end of their tenure in Carolina with decisions on Adams and Clark expected soon.

Barring any trades the Panthers will be on the clock at pick No. 16 in the first-round of the NFL Draft. Armed with a wealth of draft experience, Hurney should be able to land the prospect he covets with the mid first-round selection.

For an idea of the type of talent available, following is a look at players who were taken sixteenth overall in the past five years.

2018: Tremaine Edmunds, LB – Buffalo Bills
Edmunds started 15 games for the Bills, missing just one midseason matchup. He tallied 121 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions during his rookie campaign.

2017: Marlon Humphrey, CB – Baltimore Ravens
Continuing to emerge as a top cornerback in the league, Humphrey started eight games for the Ravens and was voted MVP by the media, but elected not to accept the award.

2016: Taylor Decker, OT – Detroit Lions

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The former first-round pick of the Lions, Decker cemented himself into the starting role at left tackle but a shoulder injury caused him to miss much of his second season. Decker returned to being a starter and even caught a touchdown pass in 2018, but if the Lions pick up his option remains to be seen.

2015: Kevin Johnson, CB – Houston Texans
Starting 10 games during his rookie season, the Texans cornerback has seen his playing time gradually decline. This past year, after suffering two concussions in less than a month, Johnson was placed on injured reserve and missed the entire year after just one game.

2014: Zack Martin, OG – Dallas Cowboys
Martin was the first and only offensive guard picked in the first round back in 2014 and has proven himself more than worthy of the selection. Named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons, Martin has also been honored as a first team All Pro three times, including last year.

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Pick No. 16 has generated a fair amount of success in recent years minus a few who suffered setbacks caused by injuries. Regardless of the position, if Carolina manages to land an immediate starter who can make an impact it will be viewed as a successful selection.

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