Panthers Draft: Projected return on investment from 2020 class

The Carolina Panthers made a good impression with their 2020 NFL Draft selections, according to a recent report from The Athletic.

Going younger on defense was a significant priority for new head coach Matt Rhule during his first NFL Draft with the Carolina Panthers. This saw the franchise become the first in league history to spend every pick on players who operate on the defensive side of the ball.

While this strategy might come with some growing pains in the ultra-competitive NFC South. It is clear that the Panthers’ defense at least has the potential to be faster and more physical in 2020.

A recent report from Arif Hasan of The Athletic calculated potential return on investment for draft picks of every NFL franchise. The Panthers all-defense selections ranked No. 11 on the list.

Speaking about the way he went about his findings, Hasan had this to say.

"“Here, we calculated the expected value each team earned on the pick and subtracted the capital of the pick, using an equation that weighs the value of the team’s selections (capital) against the draftees’ rankings in the Consensus Big Board (value). We also take into account positional needs — if a team, for example, drafts a running back because he’s the highest-ranked player on the board but then never plays that running back because there are five better ones on the roster, that wasn’t a good pick.”"

Carolina’s draft picks earned a 117.5 percent estimated return on their investment, according to Hasan. They came just ahead of the Houston Texans at No. 12.

According to Hasan, their best-value pick was Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos, who was ranked 24th on the consensus big board but went to the Panthers with the No. 38 overall pick. General manager Marty Hurney stated he almost moved back into the first-round to acquire the prospect before he fell into their lap in the second.

Only time will tell as to whether going for all defensive players will benefit the Panthers long-term. They got rid of some experienced veterans in the offseason and replaced them with young, hungry players who can operate in multiple positions on the field.

It is a bold strategy from Carolina’s decision-makers. But one that was an absolute necessity as they look to rebuild the roster from the ground up.