Following the conclusion of a dismal NFL season is the silver lining of receiving a high draft pick. While some teams have used these credits to turn their franchise around, others have seemingly been involved in an endless cycle, never quite able to propel themselves up the standings. For the Carolina Panthers, finishing with eight consecutive losses means a top-10 pick was inevitable.
Last year, on the heels of another second-half collapse, Carolina was allotted pick No. 16 but with other teams finishing in different spots this year, the Panthers moved up considerably. At 5-11 overall, Carolina tied with both the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins meaning a formula based on strength of schedule is used to determine draft positioning.