Based on what we know now, the 2015 draft class for the Carolina Panthers has been a productive one. That doesn’t mean they could not have done better, though. If they could do it all over, would the team do anything different? Let’s rewind four years and redraft the class.
Round 1 pick No. 25: Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
Original pick: Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
Thompson’s versatility and talent are still worth a first-round pick, so it’s not hard to imagine the Panthers would make the same decision that they did four years ago. Thompson will be a very good complement to Luke Kuechly and having the time to play behind and learn from Thomas Davis these last few years has been invaluable.
Round 2 pick No. 41: Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State
Original pick: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
Funchess just never truly panned out in Carolina. He was a big-bodied tight end-turned-wide receiver, but never reached his full potential. Other than some spurts after Kelvin Benjamin was traded, he has not lived up to his second-round pick status. Maybe a change of scenery and a new role in Indianapolis will do him a world of good.
Instead of going with Funchess again, the Panthers could address their cornerback situation, which was very thin at the time. Behind Josh Norman, there was nothing to like about the team’s depth at the position. Darby has been a fantastic defender thus far for the Bills and now for the Eagles. He would’ve done wonders for Carolina’s defense and created a lot less headaches at corner.
Round 4 pick No. 102: Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma
Original pick, Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma
This one is easy. Other than the injury that wiped out his 2018 season, Williams has developed into a reliable starter at right tackle and in fact was one of the best offensive tackles in the league in 2017. This was an excellent value for a fourth-round pick for the Panthers and they just re-signed him for another year. There’s no reason to change this pick.
Round 5 pick No. 169: Thomas Rawls, RB, Central Michigan
Original pick: David Mayo, LB, Texas State
While the recently re-signed Cameron Artis-Payne has carved out a decent backup/special teams career for himself, Rawls showed true star RB potential until his ankle injury. If not for that, he could still be leading the charge in Seattle’s backfield.
Rawls put up some impressive numbers against the Panthers when he was healthy and could have been a valuable backup for Jonathan Stewart as his time in Carolina wound down.
Round 5 pick No. 174: Anthony Harris, S, Virginia
Original pick: Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn
With their last pick, the Panthers jump on another player that ultimately went undrafted but has now become a thing for the Vikings. The previous year, the Panthers had Roman Harper and Thomas DeCoud starting and Tre Boston backing them up at safety.
If they had taken a flyer on Harris, the position would not have become as big of a weakness as it did prior to Eric Reid’s signing last season.
