Carolina Panthers: 2011 NFL Draft do-over (6 Rounds)

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(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Richard Sherman /

Pick Analysis. RICHARDSHERMAN. player. 87. Scouting Report. CB. STANFORD. 132

Carolina Panthers 2011 Draft Pick No. 132: Richard Sherman over Kealoha Pilares

With the 132nd pick in the draft, the Carolina Panthers selected return specialist out of Hawaii Kealoha Pilares. But he only lasted two seasons with the franchise.

In Pilares’ rookie year he had 23 kick returns for 590 yards. He took one kick 101 yards for a touchdown and that had the Panthers thinking he might have the potential to be a great return man.

In 2012 Pilares had nine returns for 216 yards. He didn’t produce the way the Panthers thought he would. He was placed on injured reserved and was released in August of 2014.

Pilares hasn’t played in the NFL since and was a bad pick for the Panthers. Carolina should have taken the corner who would go on to be the leader of one of the best defenses of all time.

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The Seattle Seahawks used the 154th pick to select Richard Sherman. The cornerback played well his rookie season having four interceptions and 55 tackles. Following this, Sherman went on a legendary five-year run.

In his second season, Sherman had eight interceptions, 24 passes defended, and 65 total tackles. He was named to first-team All-Pro in just his second season. Not only was this the season Sherman made a name for himself, but it was the season the ‘Legion of Boom’ was born.

The ‘Legion of Boom’ was the nickname the Seahawks secondary gave themselves. Their secondary consisted of Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Byron Maxwell, and Brandon Browner.

Sherman was the leader of them and for good reason. From 2013-2016 the player had 18 interceptions, 51 passes defended, and 213 tackles. He made four straight Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro in 2013 and 2014 while helping the Seahawks reach two Super Bowls and winning one of them.

Sherman had an injury-riddled 2017, which was his last season with the Seahawks. For the past two seasons, he has been playing for the San Francisco 49ers. He hasn’t been the same player he once was but he has still been very productive and helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl this past season.

If the Panthers would have taken Sherman over Pilares, they would have had an elite lockdown defender. The following season Carolina drafted Josh Norman, so this pick would have given them one of the best starting secondaries in the league.

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