The Carolina Panthers caused a stir in the first round by drafting offensive tackle Monroe Freeling at No. 19 overall. He received a hero's welcome during his formal introduction at Bank of America Stadium, but the hard work was just getting started for general manager Dan Morgan.
While the first-round selection gets all the hype, Morgan really makes his money in the later rounds. The Panthers had a tricky-looking Day 2 to navigate, but the front-office leader planned to stick to his strategy of taking the best available prospects without overemphasizing need.
It's worked well up to now, and Morgan began the next stage of his master plan with another eyebrow-raising selection.
Carolina Panthers strike wiith conviction with Lee Hunter trade up
After a shift up to the No. 49 overall selection, Morgan struck with conviction. The choice was Lee Hunter, who is sure to make defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero extremely happy along the way.
The gifted nose tackle drew some interest from the Panthers throughout their pre-draft assessments. He fits the athletic mold Morgan is building across the roster, albeit on the heavier side, and it also fills another need after A'Shawn Robinson's offseason release.
Carolina isn't drafting for that, but it's an added bonus.
Hunter propelled himself into high-end consideration thanks to a strong campaign with the Texas A&M Aggies. Some experts even touted the possibility that he could go in the first round, so this represents a significant coup that will benefit the defensive trenches enormously.
There is a lot to like, but a lot of hard work lies ahead. The Panthers are once again placing a wager on his ceiling, though Hill's college production was far more consistent than Freeling's, and over a much more extended period. That's only going to help his cause, and the possibility of playing him alongside Derrick Brown comes with enormous intrigue attached.
Everything is coming together nicely. Morgan had no time to revel in what can easily be perceived as a successful draft so far. Freeling and Hunter represent a good start, but there are still five more picks to get through. The Panthers are not too far away from legitimate contention. If some technical refinements are made, the new second-round selection will bring them much closer.
What comes next is down to Hunter.
He's got the tools, and his competitive fire is something that no doubt piqued the Panthers' interest. That's a solid platform from which to build, and the added pressure of being taken just outside the top 50 means immediate expectations must be met.
Based on how Hunter conducted himself in college, there shouldn't be too many issues. And if everything goes according to plan or perhaps even better than expected, this could be a bargain.
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