Most experts expect monster Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still to go in the top ten of April's NFL Draft. Still is almost unanimously projected to go No. 8 overall to the Carolina Panthers. Ron Rivera, a defensive-minded coach, is in desperate need of a difference-maker up front, and Still would fill a huge gap in the middle of the team's front seven. The Panthers' defense was among the worst in the league, with running backs consistently gashing the Cats.
Included among those NFL mock draft experts is Peter Schrager of FoxSports. Schrager has Still landing in Carolina as well, with the pick as a relative no-brainer:
Via Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com:
8. Carolina Panthers*: Devon Still, DT, Penn State: Though not the flashiest of picks, Still to Carolina makes a whole lot of sense. The Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year from 2011, Still can rush the passer and provide the run stuffing up front that Carolina's D so desperately needs. The unit gets Jon Beason back next season and showed improvements down the stretch. Still would be a huge addition up front.
There's still obviously plenty of time for movement in these projections, but based on current circumstances, one wouldn't blame Still for humming a little James Taylor these days as he prepares for the draft.
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