It’s not a good year for the skill positions and that is okay"It’s not a good year for the skill positions. Thankfully the Panthers don’t have any immediate needs in those areas outside of a third wide receiver. Instead the Panthers immediate top needs are offensive tackle and defensive end. That aligns well with a first round loaded with defensive linemen at the top. My preference is a left tackle to protect Cam Newton’s blind side. Two other positions of immediate need for the Panthers are safety and linebacker. I would then round out the top six needs as center and guard. 1st round The talent at the top of the first round is unusually heavy in defensive lineman. In fact it is a banner year for defensive tackles and edge rushers. There are an estimated ten defensive linemen that could be drafted in the top twenty picks Greg Little Carolina Panthers Jersey , if not more. It is very likely an edge rusher in particular could be there for the taking at number sixteen. That will be hard for the Panthers to turn down. If a pass rusher isn’t the pick then there are several talented players who could play left tackle that should be available.The middle roundsMore good news, the second and third rounds are loaded with quality offensive linemen and safeties. I’ve seen several different mock drafts with the Panthers selecting a safety in the second round. While the draft is light at the top in safety talent there is upwards of eight safeties with second to fourth round grades.If the Panthers neglect to draft a tackle early they should still be able to find one in the middle rounds. I count fifteen tackles with third round to fifth round grades. Other options include half a dozen centers and upwards of ten guards that should be value picks between rounds three and five. If the Panthers decide to draft a center they should do so in the 3rd round at the latest as this draft is light in depth at the position. Guards on the other hand could be one of the most heavily drafted positions in this draft.The X factorGuessing exactly what the Panthers might do is complicated by the announcement the Panthers will incorporate a lot more 3-4 looks on defense. The Panthers’ current personnel don’t exactly fit a 3-4 defense at a couple positions. Those needs could be filled in this draft. We know they need a linebacker to replace Thomas Davis but they may look for another middle linebacker to play along Luke Kuechly in 3-4 alignments. They might also look for an under tackle flexible enough to play end in a 3-4. It’s hard any year to predict what the Panthers will do in the draft. This year will be no exception. The good news is they have a really good chance of filling several of their most glaring needs. The Carolina Panthers franchise quarterback struggled mightily with injury through the last half of 2018, and has opted for surgery to help fix the issue."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomCam Newton undergoes surgical procedure on his throwing shoulderNew,133commentsThe Carolina Panthers franchise quarterback struggled mightily with injury through the last half of 2018 Blue Greg Little Jersey , and has opted for surgery to help fix the issue.ESTShareTweetShareShareCam Newton undergoes surgical procedure on his throwing shoulderJeremy Brevard-USA TODAY SportsThe Carolina Panthers have announced today that Cam Newton underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his injured right shoulder, and it was successful. The surgery was performed by team physician Dr. Pat Connor.Details above and beyond that are currently non-existent. There are no timeframes for when he could throw again this early in his recovery process, and largely that would vary greatly from patient to patient.Compared to the last time Cam Newton went under the knife for shoulder surgery, the team is getting a much earlier start on this one. After hoping that his ailing shoulder would heal without surgery Greg Little Carolina Panthers Jersey , delaying any procedure for several months after the end of the regular season, Newton had one done with very little time until offseason activities began. Many people have theorized that it was not a long enough recovery window, and in the long run, that may have affected his ability to heal Cheap Greg Little Jersey , leading to this second issue.As more details are announced, if any, we’ll be sure to let you know here on CSR.