Breaking down why the Panthers were right to not take a QB in Round 1

Defense wins championships

For the Carolina Panthers, taking the top defensive player on their board makes sense for one simple reason. Defense wins championships.

While it’s obvious that having a great quarterback is also a key factor to building a winning team, history shows that prolific playmakers on the defensive side are arguably more important.

Since 2011, a quarterback has won MVP nine times. In each of those nine seasons, the winner’s team has failed to win the Super Bowl. In the same span, teams with defenses that were ranked eighth or higher in yards allowed per game or points conceded per game won the Vince Lombardi Trophy seven times.

“Defense wins championships” is not just a cliche.

Whether Carolina’s pick at No. 8 should have been Alabama’s highly-touted cornerback Patrick Surtain II is up for debate. But taking one of the best defenders in the draft is a great strategy as the Panthers continue to build what could be a very formidable and defense at each level.

Horn’s strength has a press-man corner gives the team more flexibility to divert from zone coverage, an option that didn’t really have last year and something else that shouldn’t be overlooked.

With Brian Burns, Derrick Brown, and Jeremy Chinn all looking like home-run selections, the Panthers may not be far from having the next great defense in the NFL.

The 2000 Baltimore Ravens, “Legion of Boom” Seattle Seahawks, 2015 Denver Broncos, and 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars were all elite defensive units that were built through the draft. It’s still early, but recent history suggests that prioritizing defense is the correct strategy for Carolina.