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By Mike Detillier
In 2011, the Carolina Panthers made a choice with the first-overall pick of the NFL draft that has been the “game-changer” to their success.
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton looked to be the obvious selection with the top overall pick for most of the draft process, but late with public pressure coming from the major sports networks to select either Texas A&M's Von Miller or Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Darius, the Panthers decided to stick to their guns and select the Auburn Heisman Trophy winner.
The analysts at those networks publically going strong for either Marius or Miller, and both are outstanding NFL football players, was puzzling.
But give the management team at Carolina full credit for selecting a player in Newton who can't be compared to anyone in the league today or in my lifetime.
The “read option” or “spread option” quarterbacks have struggled in the NFL to say the least, but Newton has not.
His ability to make big plays with his power/speed skills as a runner is unique, but where he has really improved his skillset is as a pocket-passer and throwing the long middle to deep passes with accuracy. And that ability has put the Panthers in a spot to be in the Super Bowl and win it.
Based on the short five-year run on Newton as an NFL player, Carolina drafting Newton in 2011 may well be the most significant selection in the league in the last decade.
Not only did the Panthers hit with the top choice in 2011, but in 2012 the Panthers selected middle linebacker Luke Kuechly in the first-round and cornerback Josh Norman from Coastal Carolina in the fifth-round.
Kuechly, who the Panthers picked in the opening round from Boston College, is the best middle linebacker in the game today for his ability to play the run and even more importantly cover an opponent's running back or tight end in the coverage part of the game.
Norman has emerged as one of the NFL's top three cover cornerbacks and came out of seemingly nowhere over the last two years to be called an elite player at his spot and he has shut down the vast majority of star wide outs in the game.
In 2013 the Panthers selected Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei in the first-round and Purdue defensive tackle Kawann Short in the second-round. That decision to select defensive tackles with the top overall choices was controversial back in 2013, but the Panthers now have the best starting defensive tackle unit in pro football.
The ability to play the run strong and also push the inside pocket, along with the selection of draft picks in Newton, Kuechly and Norman, is something the New Orleans Saints and the rest of the league will have to deal with for the next 5-to-8 years.
Come draft time and also during the free agency process watch how the other teams in the NFC South try to maneuver their personnel pieces around to have to deal with five of the NFL's best players, all on the same team and in the Saints division.
The defensive tackle slot is shaping up to be the strongest in this year's relatively average draft class.
For the first time ever in my almost 30 years of draft evaluation, I have 11 defensive tackles rated in my top 58 overall selections as of this weekend. They include A'Shawn Robinson of Alabama, Andrew Billings of Baylor, Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss, Jarran Reed of Alabama, Austin Johnson of Penn State, Kenny Clark of UCLA, Vernon Butler of Louisiana Tech, Sheldon Rankins of Louisville, Sheldon Day of Notre Dame, Chris Jones of Mississippi State and Adolphus Washington of Ohio State.
As the Carolina Panthers did with Lotulelei and Short, I would have no issue if the Saints used their top two selections on defensive tackles to shore up their front line defensive unit.
LSU'S STRONG CLASS
With National Signing Day coming on Wednesday, the LSU Tigers look to finish up strong with a late push to solidify their spot as the top recruiting class in the nation.
LSU has dominated its home state by grabbing the likes of defensive tackles Rashard Lawrence, Edwin Alexander and Glen Logan, defensive end/tackle Caleb Roddy, halfback/inside linebacker Devin White, outside linebacker Michael Divinity, hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker Andre Anthony and cornerback Andraez Williams.
On offense, offensive tackle Willie Allen, offensive tackle/guard Donavaughn Campbell, wide receivers Da'Monte Coxie and Stephen Sullivan, tight end Jamal Pettigrew and wide receiver/defensive back Cameron Lewis have committed to the Tigers.
Now, the home stretch has LSU vying for the likes of Rummel cornerback Kristian Fulton along with Florida and Arkansas, Kentwood defensive back/wide receiver Shyheim Carter, who has backed off his commitment to Alabama, quarterback Lindsey Scott from Zachary, who has backed off his commitment to Syracuse and St. Augustine defensive tackle D'Andre Christmas-Giles who was an early commitment to Tennessee.
I expect Scott, who in so many ways reminds me of University of Houston quarterback Greg Ward, Jr., to commit to LSU.
The Tigers have normally finished strong under the guidance of coach Les Miles during recruiting time. This recruiting class could well be one of the best ever in LSU history, especially in the state of Louisiana.
Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDetillier