Carolina With The Number 1 Pick Selects...

As is the case with any team that gets the number one pick of the draft, the Carolina Panthers are in need of a lot of help. Not all is going to be fixed with this first pick, and that is what they have to remember. So often is this one pick overhyped, overrated, overspeculated, over(your necessary adjective here). The Panthers have to remember though, this is one pick, in one draft, one guy. They need to build their team around this pick yes, but not in the sense that they have to be the savior, but rather the focal point in the team's turnaround. While everyone wants a Peyton Manning to turn the franchise into a contender for the next 10-15 years, having a solid, to hopefully outstanding, selection here is what the Panthers need. There are so many first pick busts, that you need to take what you think is best for your team's success, maybe not the team's image, or the symbol this pick might mean for the franchise's direction.

With that being said, the way Carolina should be looking at this pick, you have to take a look at the needs that this team has. Sometimes the easiest way to do that is to look at what the team does not need. When you look at their roster you know there is absolutely one position that the Panthers are all set at, and that would be running back. Jonathan Stewart has been a solid back throughout his career in Carolina while splitting time with the departed DeAngelo Williams, and now has a solid backup in Mike Goodson, who showed a lot of promise as the featured back in the middle of the 2010 season. This also goes for the wide receiver position, though not a position usually looked at as a number one pick possibility, they are set with veteran Steve Smith and young talent in David Gettis and Brandon LaFell.

On the other side of the ball it is roughly the same for the cornerback position. Chris Gamble is towards the top of the league in terms of cornerback talent, and they are in the process of developing young talent in Captain Munnerlyn and Robery McClain. The linebacking corp is young and showed improvements last year, as Jon Beason played very well throughout in the middle of the defense. Charles Godfrey was able to perform solid in the back of the defense, accumulating over 80 tackles during the year, to go along with five interceptions. Lastly, Charles Johnson was able to really make strides playing the full season, and got 11.5 sacks to lead the team.

Now some people are saying that the quarterback position is something that the Panthers have to take a look at, and something that they should possibly draft. I find this to be confusing, because while Jimmy Clausen was not especially good as a rookie, it seems that the idea of growing and progressing is thrown out the window these days. Though a completely different animal, Clausen was a part of one of the worst seasons in Notre Dame history as a freshman. By the time he left as a junior he had a number of records, and had an outside shot at the Heisman Trophy, with a 68% pass completion and a ratio of 28 touchdowns to only four interceptions. He learned, progressed, and improved in college, I think that with this class, and the team needs, to completely abandon what he might have a starting off point from seems counter productive.

This team needs defensive line help in the worst way, and their are plenty of names out there to be said first that would help this team there, and build from that position. New head coach Ron Rivera is a defensive guy, would it not make sense to build based on your strength, and maybe turn things around quicker than you would anticipate. Rex Ryan built that defense up and saw quick results. Lovie Smith (where Rivera coached) won with defense first, why not take a shot at building up your defense, and the gameplan you can thrive with.

With that being said, I think that the choice that needs to be made here, though I do not think he is necessarily the best player, or a guy I would want to spend a top pick on, is Marcell Dareus. He is a positional need for the Panthers, and he is probably the best guy at that position and the most exciting, and many like him as a top talent defensive tackle. He is a hard worker and comes from the Nick Saban defense that is something to be taken into consideration.

Other options here would be Nick Fairley, where at this point it is a toss up between the two for which goes first out of their position. Fairley probably has the biggest upside, but when it comes down to it he is too volatile, and you are just not sure on what you will get long term. Da'Quan Bowers would also fit into this spot, giving the Panthers a potential double edge attack, in the mold of the Indianapolis Colts, or the New York Giants. With Johnson improving last year though the need for an outside rusher is not as pertinent as that man in the middle of the line. When you take a step back and look at this roster, at this new direction they have the chance to go in, and what is needed to start with this first overall pick, Dareus is the pick that makes sense and is solid for Carolina.

Predictions as of today for this pick:

Me: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
Mel Kiper: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Todd McShay: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
NewNFLDraft.com: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn