Reviewing Ron Rivera’s draft history on Days 2 and 3
2017 NFL Draft
As we get closer and closer to the present day, the picture on the mid/late-round picks will be a little less clear. Still, it’s easy to spot which players have become contributors and which players are looking more like depth players.
Round 2, Pick 40: WR Curtis Samuel, Ohio State. Samuel played running back in college but was more of a natural fit at receiver for the NFL. It took him some time to get comfortable at the position full time, but he looks like a solid No. 2 option who has the versatility needed to turn jet sweeps into big plays. Samuel logged 757 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns last season and started 15 of the 16 games he played in. If he can stay healthy, he should continue to complement D.J. Moore and new addition Robby Anderson well in a speedy receiving corps.
Round 2, Pick 64: OT Taylor Moton, Western Michigan. One of the reasons that Daryl Williams had to move around the line so much last season was because Moton has proven to be a solid replacement for him at right tackle. Moton spent his first season in Carolina as a swing tackle but has now started 32 straight games for the team. He’s a solid tackle and though he allowed five sacks and committed six penalties last season, he’s still improving. If he can cut down on those numbers, he should emerge as a very good tackle and if not, he’ll still be an above-average player on the right side of the line.
More from Riggo's Rag
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
Round 3, Pick 77: DE Daeshon Hall, Texas A&M. Hall didn’t end up panning out for the Panthers. He played in just one game as a rookie before being placed on IR and before the 2018 season, he was cut by the team. Hall notched 1.5 sacks over the course of two years with the Eagles and remains with the team. He tore his ACL in the final game of the 2019 season, so he may stay in Philly on IR for a year.
Round 5, Pick 152: CB Corn Elder, Miami. There are few names in the NFL that are better than that of Corn Elder. Elder spent his rookie season on IR with the Panthers before suiting up for 13 games for the squad in 2018. He played mostly on special teams. He didn’t make the team in 2019 but after a two-month stint on the Giants practice squad, he returned to the Panthers. To date, he has only three career tackles and looks more like a special teamer, though he could challenge for a role in the Panthers secondary considering how thin they are at corner right now.
Round 6, Pick 192: FB Alex Armah, West Georgia. Armah has been a fine fullback for the Panthers over the course of the past three years. He has rushed for three short-yardage touchdowns and is a good blocker. He doesn’t offer much as a receiver, but he performs well in the role that Rivera drafted him to play.
Round 7, Pick 223: K Harrison Butker, Georgia Tech. The seventh-round is a great time to take a chance on a kicker if you need one. Unfortunately, the Panthers made the mistake of trying to stash Butker on the practice squad and he got scooped up by the Chiefs. He’s now one of the best kickers in the game with a career field-goal percentage of 89.7. Gano, meanwhile, hit 96.7 percent of his field goals in 2017 and a career-long 63 yarder the following season. So, the Panthers weren’t too unhappy with choosing him over Butker.
Overall: Samuel, Moton, and Butker are the highlights from this class and have all found roles as key contributors at the next level. Armah has also done well so that makes this a solid Day 2 and Day 3 haul.