WCG Mock Draft- Carolina (#14)

by Adam T on Mar 30, 2007 9:16 AM CDT in News

14. Carolina- Greg Olsen, TE, Miami

At the #14 pick the Panthers narrowed down their focus to their team's three biggest needs (LB, S, and TE). They could have easily went for someone like Levi Brown - OT, but with greater needs in other areas they decided to fill a huge hole. That hole was at Tight End.

The Panthers got a total of 2 touchdowns and 316 receiving yards out of the TE position in 2006. To put that into perspective, 21 Tight Ends had more than 300 yards individually. Kris Mangum, the Panthers leading TE ranked 38th among Tight Ends in receiving yards with 170.

To compliment WR Steve Smith and to challenge the middle of the field, the Panthers select the best TE available in the draft, Greg Olsen out of Miami (FL).

Olsen's stock has continued to climb after a great combine where he was arguably one of the best overall athletes to participate that weekend. He runs excellent routes, is fast (4.5 40yd), and has a frame that can take on more size. The Panthers are hoping that they've found their next Wesley Walls.

Others that were considered (J. Beason, L. Brown, R. Nelson).

Drafter- RME JICO

On the clock- Pittsburgh Steelers (shawngoldman)

2007 NFL Mock Draft - First Round
Pick	Team	Player	Pos.	College	Drafter
1	Oakland Raiders	JaMarcus Russell	QB	LSU	bears fan louie
2	Detroit Lions	Joe Thomas	OT	Wisconsin	South Side Irish
3	Cleveland Browns	Calvin Johnson	WR	Georgia Tech	elagoalie11
4	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Gaines Adams	DE	Clemson	NoisewaterMD
5	Arizona Cardinals	Alan Branch	DT	Michigan	Chad
6	Washington Redskins	Jamaal Anderson	DE	Arkansas	Skin Patrol
7	Minnesota Vikings	Brady Quinn	QB	Notre Dame	IrishGush
8	Atlanta Falcons	LaRon Landry	S	LSU	Coach Owens
9	Miami Dolphins	Amobi Okoye	DT	Louisville	McRipper
10	Houston Texans	Adrian Peterson	RB	Oklahoma	Scruffy Lefty
11	San Francisco 49ers	Patrick Willis	LB	Ole Miss	RME JICO
12	Buffalo Bills	Paul Posluszny	LB	Penn St.	Brian G
13	St. Louis Rams	Adam Carriker	DE	Nebraska	tyger1147
14	Carolina Panthers	Greg Olsen	TE	Miami	RME JICO

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Comments

nice pick

by tyger1147 on Mar 30, 2007 12:14 PM CDT reply actions

stretch

too early. if carolina wants a TE with their first pick, they'll trade down.

by Chad @ Windy City Gridiron on Mar 30, 2007 12:22 PM CDT reply actions

Not really

I went to many different Mock Draft sites and to some Panthers boards to see what people were saying; then I took a look at the 2006 team, and Olsen seemed to be the best fit.

They arguably had the worst TE in the league in terms of receiving in 2006. Olsen gives them another weapon to compliment Smith and Johnson.

Levi Brown was an option but from what I've read, he still needs work in pass blocking. Beason would have been a reach, so Nelson was the only other choice.

I have seen Olsen higher than #14, so it is not that big of a reach.

by RME JICO on Mar 30, 2007 12:34 PM CDT reply actions

Also

this is about the pick where the selections start to become a little harder to determine. The first 10-12 are fairly easy, because a guy who is projected to be a top ten rarely falls. But once you get to the teens, players start rising and falling pretty quickly.

by RME JICO on Mar 30, 2007 12:39 PM CDT reply actions