Reviewing Ron Rivera’s first-round draft history with the Panthers

2013: DT Star Lotulelei

Honestly, it’s hard to take too much away from the talent evaluation in the 2013 NFL Draft. That class was historically weak, and six of the top 10 players selected in the class are no longer in the league. And two of the remaining four are backup-caliber players (Barkevious Mingo and Chance Warmack).

The Panthers held the 14th pick in the ’13 draft. And at the time of the draft, they had a big need at the defensive tackle position. They had veteran Dwan Edwards as one starter but next to him, they didn’t have much.

The Panthers had selected a couple of defensive tackles in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. But neither Terrell McClain or Sione Fua worked out for them, and McClain was cut by them after just one season. That necessitated spending an early resource on a potential three-down tackle who could help fix the issues the team was having against the run.

Star Lotulelei ended up being the choice at 14, one pick after Sheldon Richardson. Lotulelei was solid for the Panthers as a run stopper. He showed off some pass-rushing ability, but his primary role was to slow down ground games. And he did that well.

Lotulelei wasn’t a flashy player. And second-round pick Kawann Short actually turned out to be the better all-around player for the Panthers, which is why they extended him but let Lotulelei walk in free agency after five years with the team. But Lotulelei was rock-solid as a role player on the Carolina defense

Considering that Lotulelei was a part of a bad draft class, he was a fine get for the Panthers in 2013. He has played seven years in the NFL and has only missed four games. He’s a durable run stopper and he should continue to find success in that role in 2020 as he enters his third year with the Buffalo Bills and former Panthers defensive coordinator turned head coach Sean McDermott.