It’s human nature for us as Panthers fans to get a little too optimistic about the future prospects of this year’s draft picks. I’ve been guilty of it myself. For example, I keep playing out scenarios in my head that feature defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon (fifth round), guard Deonte Brown (sixth round), and wide receiver Shi Smith (sixth round) not only making this year’s 53-man roster, but immediately contributing. While I hate to burst my own bubble, that’s probably not going to happen.
Let’s take a look at what the Panthers projected depth chart tells us about draft position and players’ ability to contribute on the field.