Carolina Panthers: 2013 NFL Draft do-over (5 rounds)

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(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) DeAndre Hopkins /

WR. DEANDREHOPKINS. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 87. CLEMSON. 14

Carolina Panthers Pick No. 14: Deandre Hopkins over Star Lotulelei

With their first pick in the draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. He was a very solid player but never turned into a star for them.

Loutulelei had a solid rookie season for the Panthers finishing with three sacks, 42 total tackles, and nine tackles for loss while playing in all 16 games. He made the All-Rookie Defensive Team after that good debut campaign.

The defensive tackle missed three games in his sophomore season so his numbers fell a little bit. He finished with two sacks, 26 total tackles, and seven tackles for loss.

Over the next three seasons, Lotulelei only missed two games but his numbers never got better than his rookie year. From 2015 to 2017 he had 6.5 sacks, 73 tackles, and 12 tackles for loss.

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Following the 2017 season, Lotulelei was entering his first stint in free agency. He got an amazing offer of five years, $50 million from the Buffalo Bills that he would end up taking. The lineman was solid for the Panthers in his five seasons but never turned into the player they needed.

Lotulelei has spent the past two seasons with the Bills and has generated two sacks, 38 total tackles, and four tackles for loss over those two seasons. He has opted out of the 2020 season like many other players due to health concerns.

He was a good player for the Panthers in his five years. But they should have passed on the defensive tackle and selected the star wide receiver out of Clemson.

With the 27th overall pick, the Houston Texans selected DeAndre Hopkins. Since then the wideout has been one of the best receivers in the NFL.

Hopkins had a great first season catching 52 passes for 802 yards and two touchdowns. Since his rookie year, he has only had one season with under 1,000 yards receiving.

In his sophomore season, Hopkins established himself as an elite receiver in the NFL. He finished with 76 receptions for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns. These were great numbers but they are nothing compared to what he’s done since then.

Over the next five seasons, Hopkins had multiple seasons of over 1,500 yards and multiple seasons of 10+ touchdowns. From 2015 to 2019 Hopkins totaled 504 catches for 6,590 yards and 46 touchdowns. Hopkins was a top-five receiver, has made four Pro Bowls and was a First-Team All-Pro over the past three seasons.

Hopkins has been huge for the Texans but recently they made the surprise move to trade him due to some internal conflicts. Houston traded their star wideout to the Arizona Cardinals giving quarterback Kyler Murray a star receiver for the future.

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