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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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CHARLOTTE, NC – NOVEMBER 03: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball during a game between Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on November 3, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
CHARLOTTE, NC – NOVEMBER 03: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball during a game between Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on November 3, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images). /

2017: RB Christian McCaffrey

The Panthers needed a running back in the lead up to the 2017 NFL Draft. Jonathan Stewart was on his last legs as a starter and the team lacked quality depth behind him.

So, Rivera and Co. decided to draft the successor to Stewart with another first-round running back. That was Christian McCaffrey.

At the time, it seemed a bit early for McCaffrey. That’s nothing against his skill set, but running back value tends to fluctuate from draft to draft. In recent years, there haven’t been all too many first-round running backs. But in 2017, McCaffrey was one of two top-10 running backs.

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And of the duo, he has been the better player. No. 4 overall pick Leonard Fournette has had trouble staying healthy and his power/balance hasn’t translated to the next level quite as well as some had hoped. Meanwhile, McCaffrey has proven to be one of the most versatile players at the running back position across the NFL.

Last year, McCaffrey led the NFL with 2,392 scrimmage yards and 19 total touchdowns while logging over 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards for the Panthers. And that was with a group of average-at-best quarterbacks leading the way for him (Newton was injured for most of the season).

McCaffrey’s versatility, relative youth (he’s still just 23) and the fact that the team limited his between-the-tackle touches in his first two seasons should give him more longevity than most at the running back position. He also can still be a functional receiver later in his career even if he can’t handle a bigger workload between the tackles. So, he should stick around the league long-term.

The Panthers have already inked McCaffrey to an extension that will make him the league’s highest-paid running back. That should say everything you need to know about the position. Rivera’s team once again did a good job of filling a big need with the best available talent. And the trend of the Panthers’ front office and Rivera finding contributors in the first round is certainly one that bodes well for the Redskins.

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