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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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ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 08: Vernon Butler #92 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after a sack in the first half on an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 8, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 08: Vernon Butler #92 of the Carolina Panthers reacts after a sack in the first half on an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 8, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

2016: DT Vernon Butler

This was another instance that Rivera and the Panthers decided to bolster a position of strength, something that they seem to like doing depending on how the board falls. That said, Vernon Butler didn’t exactly pan out for them.

With Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Paul Soliai, and Kyle Love already on the roster at the defensive tackle position, the Panthers didn’t need to go for Butler. At all. But the Louisiana Tech prospect was one of the better prospects on the board. So while the team didn’t need him, they figured that he could still play a role for the team.

During his time at Louisiana Tech, Butler was a force in the middle of the defensive line. He didn’t have great sack numbers (just five total in college) but he racked up 22.5 tackles for loss in his final two years with the program and did what he could to occupy blockers and allow his teammates to clean up.

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However, the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Butler wasn’t able to do much during his first three seasons in Carolina. He never started a game — due, in part, to the team’s defensive tackle depth — but when on the field, he wasn’t productive. He had 1.5 sacks as a rookie but then only notched 32 tackles and 0.5 sacks combined in his next two seasons. He wasn’t very disruptive and had trouble adjusting to the NFL level of play.

That said, Butler did have a better year in 2019. He logged six sacks and showed some more explosion, strength, and some playmaking ability as well. He forced three fumbles and parlayed that strong season into a new deal with the Buffalo Bills. It is fair to wonder though if Butler played extra well because he put everything together or if it’s because he knew he was playing for a new contract.

All told, Butler is probably the second-worst selection on this list overall. The 25-year-old still has time to continue developing and change the narrative, especially if he builds on his play from last season, but Butler definitely wasn’t a good early pick for the Panthers considering the little production they got out of him for four seasons.

And if they could go back, they’d surely rather have Chris Jones, a player similar to Butler who came off the board seven picks later. But again, hindsight is helpful.

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