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Carolina Panthers: Five Possibilities At Number Eight

By John Woodcock

Mar 1, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Carolina Panters general manager Dave Gettleman speaks to the media during the 2017 NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Carolina Panters general manager Dave Gettleman speaks to the media during the 2017 NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 30, 2016; Nashville , TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett (9) and Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Jonathan Kongbo (1) talk with Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Ryker Fyfe (17) after a near sack during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; Nashville , TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett (9) and Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Jonathan Kongbo (1) talk with Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Ryker Fyfe (17) after a near sack during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
  1. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

Sometimes you should turn your brain off and do the obvious thing. The Panthers are a power running team, Fournette is an exceptional specimen for a downhill runner. There plenty of youtube videos and game footage to be wowed over and over again.

The problem is that Fournette came in heavy to the combine. Then he lost weight for his LSU pro day but refused to work out at that weight for the scouts. I just don’t like the way that smells. If he plays the way we’ve seen, that will not matter. But couldn’t he have bailed us out a little.

Fournette is still a popular pick in the mock draft scene for the Panthers, unless you are a Jaguars fan.

More from Carolina Panthers

  1. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee

After Thomas and Fournette, I wanted to find some odd balls to fit some of these other spots. Barnett had great size for a college end, but he is a little on the small size for what the Panthers are looking for. However the scouts have been in his corner since combine and his draft position keeps rising as a result. Some believe that he has dethroned Thomas as the second best defensive end in the draft.

Barnett is super productive, and conceivably the Panthers would use him as the right defensive end for rushing purposes while playing somebody like Johnson or Peppers on the other side. This is definitely a player that I would like to see more of before draft day. Youtube, here we come.

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