Carolina Panthers: 2010 NFL Draft do-over (6 rounds)

Carolina Panthers 2010 Draft: Jimmy Graham over Brandon LaFell (No. 78)

The Carolina Panthers selected Brandon LaFell in the third round and it was a good pick overall. The wide receiver produced for the team and was better than a lot of others that have been taken before or since.

LaFell caught 11 touchdowns for an impressive 2009 LSU team prior to entering the draft. He was a high ranked receiver and he fell to the Panthers.

The wideout played in 14 games for the Panthers and caught 38 passes for 468 yards during his rookie season. He seemed to get better every year. But his time in Carolina ended after his fourth campaign with the organization

In his four seasons, LaFell caught 167 passes for 2,385 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Panthers decided not to resign him and the player penned a deal with the New England Patriots.

LaFell spent two years in New England, and then two years with the Cincinnati Bengals. His best year came with the Patriots in 2014 where he caught 74 passes for 954 yards and seven touchdowns.

He signed with the Oakland Raiders in 2018 but hasn’t played since. He was never a star that the Panthers might have considered taking instead to boost their passing game.

Jimmy Graham was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 95th pick. From then on he caused major problems for NFL defenses.

Panthers’ fans found out quickly just how much damage Graham could do. In just his second year he caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards. The former basketball star quickly became one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

After five dominant seasons with the Saints, he went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks for two seasons. And Graham has since been one of Aaron Rodgers’ best targets over a two-year period.

If Carolina would have selected Graham at this spot, he could have been the most prolific tight end in franchise history. He would have made scoring touchdowns a lot easier and far more entertaining.