3 takeaways from Scott Fitterer’s Day 2 draft management masterclass
By Dean Jones
What were some of the big takeaways from what proved to be a draft management masterclass from Carolina Panthers GM Scott Fitterer on Day 2?
To say Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft was an eventful one for the Carolina Panthers would be something of an understatement. The organization was involved in no fewer than four trades throughout the evening and still managed to have four picks on Day 3 to play with, which was nothing short of a draft management masterclass from new general manager Scott Fitterer.
The new appointment gained a strong reputation for his war room presence during his time with the Seattle Seahawks. This played a significant part in him getting a deserved promotion with the Panthers and it’s clear that he has completely revolutionized the way Carolina goes about its business when it comes to selecting college players.
Not only this, Fitterer made some shrewd moves when the opportunity arose, trading down twice in the second round, up in the third, then giving another third-rounder to the Houston Texans for a four, fifth, and fourth in 2022 to compensate for what they gave up earlier.
Considering Fitterer’s reputation for finding gems in the later rounds, there could be even more promising players coming to Carolina on Day 3. Here are three big takeaways from a hugely successful second day of the 2021 NFL Draft from the Panthers’ perspective.
Takeaway No. 1
Carolina Panthers have adopted an analytical approach
Team owner David Tepper made no secret of his desire to go with a more analytical approach to recruiting free agents and college prospects as part of his front office overhaul. Scott Fitterer was the missing piece to the puzzle and judging by their selections on Day 2, it is already having a considerable influence on proceedings.
Terrace Marshall Jr., Brady Christensen, and Tommy Tremble may not be the biggest names out there. But the key component here is they all tested extremely well and come into the organization with a supreme amount of athletic ability to call upon.
This fits the mold of what Rhule and Fitterer are trying to build in Carolina. Such a structured process has been a long time coming.