Ex-Panthers scout: Cam Newton needs a first-round weapon, but not necessarily at WR

A former Carolina Panthers scout thinks the team needs to draft another weapon for quarterback Cam Newton — but not at the position often connected with the team’s No. 24 pick.

NFL Network draft analyst Bucky Brooks, citing Greg Olsen’s uncertain future and Newton’s passing habits, thinks the Panthers should go after a pass-catching tight end early in this month’s draft. Many analysts have predicted a wide receiver for the Panthers in the first round.

“When you look at Greg Olsen and you’re already hearing the whispers that this could be his last year, I want to make sure that I find another weapon for Cam Newton to have over the middle of the field,” Brooks said Wednesday during a conference call.

“When you look at Cam’s game and where he typically likes to target receivers, he likes to work inside the numbers down the field. I want to get him another guy so now we can put two tight ends on the field. I can work both tights ends to make him very comfortable.”

Most experts think the top three tight ends in the draft are South Carolina’s Hayden Hurst, South Dakota State’s Dallas Goedert and Penn State’s Mike Gesicki.

Hurst, a former minor-leaguer in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization, visited the Panthers last week as part of the team’s local pro day.

Brooks, a college scout for the Panthers from 2003-07, thinks all of those tight ends have the size and skill set to help Newton.

“There’s some talented guys that can create problems with their size and expand the strike zone for the quarterback,” Brooks said. “I think it’s essential for the Panthers that they have enough big bodies on the field to be able to kind of make Cam right when he is throwing the ball.”

But Daniel Jeremiah, Brooks’ NFL Network colleague, thinks the Panthers would be better served going after a cornerback with the 24th pick. Carolina traded starting corner Daryl Worley to Philadelphia for wideout Torrey Smith wideout, and signed former Duke and Charlotte Latin defensive back Russ Cockrell to compete at the position.

Jeremiah says the potent passing attacks in the NFC South put a priority on coverage guys, and pointed to the success of Marshon Lattimore after the Saints drafted the Ohio State corner 11th overall last year.

Jeremiah mentioned Mike Hughes of UCF, Charlotte native Jaire Alexander of Louisville, and Josh Jackson of Iowa as potential fits if they’re still available.

“I just think when you’re talking about building your team to win your division and then you look at some of the passing attacks you’ve got to deal with inside that division, I think being able to find some more talent at the corner position is definitely something you have to consider,” Jeremiah said during the same conference call.

“I think Mike Hughes is a darned good football player, same with Alexander,” he added. “Either one of those guys to me specifically would be really good picks.”

Brooks noted the Panthers traditionally have not spent a lot of draft capital on corners (except for Dave Gettleman three-peating at the position after pulling Josh Norman’s franchise tag) and agreed that taking one this year makes some sense.

But Brooks says he would do that only after first getting Newton a big-bodied tight end.

“Because their front four looks pretty good, they may elect to add the weapon early and then come back in the second and third round and see if they can find a corner later on.”

This story was originally published April 11, 2018 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Ex-Panthers scout: Cam Newton needs a first-round weapon, but not necessarily at WR."