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

By Jacob Camenker

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers reacts against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers reacts against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 29: Wide Receiver Kelvin Benjamin #13 of the Carolina Panthers on a passing route during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. Panthers defeated the Buccaneers 17 to 3. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 29: Wide Receiver Kelvin Benjamin #13 of the Carolina Panthers on a passing route during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on October 29, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. Panthers defeated the Buccaneers 17 to 3. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

2014: WR Kelvin Benjamin

And here we have the first real first-round bust of Rivera’s Carolina tenure. Though things started well for the team’s first-round receiver, he never fully developed at the NFL level and had a short stay in both Carolina and the NFL as a result.

Benjamin was a big, strong receiver with a 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame. The idea when the team drafted him with the 28th pick in the 2014 draft was to give Cam Newton a jump-ball target to help him out in the red zone and allow him to toss up some contest-catch options to improve his accuracy.

At first, it looked like Benjamin would fill that role well. He topped 1,000 yards as a rookie and generated nine receiving touchdowns for the Panthers. He helped to fill the void left behind by the departures of Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell and looked like a starter on the outside at the very least.

Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders /

Washington Commanders

However, Benjamin missed 2015 after suffering an ACL tear. And following the 2016 season, Benjamin’s production tailed off. He struggled with conditioning and started to carry too much weight on his frame. That slowed him down, along with the injury issues, and the Panthers saw this.

As a result, Carolina shipped Benjamin to the Bills in 2017 for a third-round pick and a seventh-round pick. At the time, it seemed like a strange move as the Panthers had little proven talent in the receiving corps. But given Benjamin’s struggles in Buffalo, it turned out to be a good move.

Benjamin only caught 39 passes and logged 579 yards and two scores in 18 games with the Bills. He dealt with some knee issues and was ultimately cut at the end of the 2018 season. He caught on with the Chiefs but didn’t see much action for the team. He has been out of the NFL since.

So, five years, three teams, and little production after his first two healthy years in the league. That’s obviously not ideal for a first-round pick and surely, Rivera would like a do-over on this one. But ultimately, the team took a risk on a talented prospect with some work ethic concerns.

And while Benjamin didn’t work out all too well, he was one of the few first-round mistakes that Rivera has ever made.

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