Mocking the NFL draft: Who will the Panthers pick?
The first round of the 2015 NFL draft starts at 8 p.m. tonight in Chicago and the Carolina Panthers have the 25th pick.
Who will they select? Charlotte sports reporters have some guesses. Here are a few:
Jonathan Jones/Charlotte Observer: Owa Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA.
Why? “The Panthers need a right defensive end to replace Greg Hardy, and with some coaching, Odighizuwa can use his hands and speed better to get to the passer.”
Scott Fowler/Charlotte Observer: D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida.
Why? “He’s from Charlotte (graduated from Mallard Creek High) … and he can play left tackle.”
Nathan Conley/WFNZ: D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida.
Why? “The way the board has fallen, Humphries could actually not only be the best player available, but he also fills a major need.”
Bill Voth/Black and Blue Review: D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida.
Why? “The Panthers would love to find their left tackle of the future, and Humphries could be the guy to groom.”
Tom Sorensen/Charlotte Observer: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin.
Why? “Defenses have to account for him. So, when in doubt, hand off. Gordon’s first step is extraordinary. Hey, where’d he go? Wow, he’s gone.”
David Newton/ESPN.com: Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State.
Why? “Smith gives the Panthers that elite speed wide receiver/touchdown maker to be the No. 2 receiver opposite Kelvin Benjamin, last year’s first-round pick.”
So half of the group picked Charlotte’s own D.J. Humphries and the other three all picked different positions.
What do you think? Tweet your predictions to @Charlotte_Five.
You can watch the draft at 8 p.m. tonight on ESPN or NFL Network. Or you can just stare at Twitter. That works, too.
Photos: AP; Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer
Corey Inscoe covers sports for the Charlotte Observer’s community sections, but also really likes good music, good food and Charlotte beer. Follow him on Twitter @CoreyInscoe.
This story was originally published April 29, 2015 at 7:35 PM with the headline "Mocking the NFL draft: Who will the Panthers pick?."