As the draft approaches, more and more draftniks are saying that the Carolina Panthers, assuming that they’re staying put, are looking to add a signal caller number one overall. And in all honesty, they just might. But I have to ask the question: why? There are one or two good reasons why QB is the way to go here, but here’s a handful of reasons why it’s not.
First, and most practical, the Panthers drafted Jimmy Clausen last year 48th overall. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m one of Clausen’s naysayers. I had questions about his leadership, attitude, and abilities before the draft, and in 13 tries, he did little to calm my fears. But still, drafting a quarterback of Clausen’s supposed caliber in the second round and then giving him one year to prove himself is lunacy. I feel that Clausen should get a second season as starter under his belt before a definitive judgment is made about his potential as a pro.
Second, from a still practical point of view, this class of quarterbacks is not nearly as strong as next year’s class. By this I mean that every quarterback of the top 4 or 5 has a “Yeah, but…” attached to him. Let’s run them down, shall we?
- Cam Newton- Huge statistical upside, enormous frame, loads of potential.
“Yeah, but…” It’s Cam Newton. Character questions, controversy, and ability to work in a pro system give teams pause when considering him. Plus, you never know if daddy will come and tell Carolina that Cam’s services will cost just a little extra.
- Blaine Gabbert- Good arm strength, good head on his shoulders, ready to play right now, supposedly.
“Yeah, but…” Gabbert played at Missouri. Not all spread systems are created equal. Gabbert didn’t do much work under center at Mizzou, and was never required to execute a pro offense.
- Jake Locker- Athletic quarterback, strong arm, good mobility, looked to be the top prospect in 2010.
“Yeah, but…” It’s 2011. Locker didn’t progress much this season, and his 58 completion percentage doesn’t help either.
- Ryan Mallett- Statuesque in the pocket, rocket arm, ideal size.
“Yeah but…” Concerns about character and ability to process information have put a ceiling on his draft stock.
Do any of these guys sound like a “can’t miss” prospect? No? How about this guy?
Outstanding arm strength. Excellent accuracy, good mechanics. Obvious leadership ability, the best quarterback prospect in recent memory.
Or him?
Boatloads of talent. Unstoppable when on rhythm. Prototypical size for an NFL QB. One of the very best in the nation.
Andrew Luck, Landry Jones, and many other nice quarterback prospects will be up for grabs in 2012. In a weak quarterback class, if I’m Carolina, there’s no way that I’m anointing my white knight from a group of commoners. The 2012 class is head and shoulders above this year’s edition.
And that leads me to my third point. Assuming that the Panthers go along with my first two theses, Jimmy Clausen will be under center whenever football starts again. Unless Clausen lights the world on fire, Carolina is going to be near the top of the draft order again. So they’re going to be in position to take one of the top signal callers in the draft next year. It follows, then, that they should take either the best player available or the best player in an area of need. You’ve read my love affair with Patrick Peterson, but I really think that Peterson, A.J. Green, Nick Fairley, Marcell Dareus, Von Miller, any of these guys would be a great pick for Carolina. Anything, ANYTHING, but a quarterback, fellas.
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