Panthers take Samford CB James Bradberry out of the toilet in second round

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — (ESPN) The selection of Samford University cornerback James Bradberry in the second round, No. 62 overall, sure felt like a reach.

Not even Bradberry expected to go that high, ESPN reported.

“Um, actually not,’’ Bradberry said. “I was actually fixing the toilet in my mom’s bathroom when they called.’’

Enough said.

My take: This was all about general manager Dave Gettleman’s philosophy on big cornerbacks. Bradberry is big at 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, but he didn’t play against much big-time competition at the Southern Conference school. Of course, you can argue Josh Norman, the cornerback the Panthers have to replace after rescinding his franchise tag, didn’t either. Norman came out of Coastal Carolina and wound up a Pro Bowl selection in 2015. But the Panthers used a fifth-round pick on Norman, now with the Washington Redskins. They probably could have gotten Bradberry in the third or fourth round. Thus, it felt like a reach.

Due diligence: The Panthers were the only team to work out Bradberry and bring him in for a visit, another reason the corner felt he would slip into the third day of the draft. Philadelphia reportedly spent a lot of time with Bradberry at the Senior Bowl, where he began to draw attention. But nobody indicated he would go this high. Statistically, Bradberry had only 43 tackles and two interceptions in 2015. Not overly impressive. He started his career at Arkansas State, where the coaches moved him to safety. He wanted to play cornerback, where he has been since 2012 after transferring to Samford. The biggest big-time receiver Bradberry faced was Auburn's Sammie Coates, a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015. He had an interception against Coates, a big receiver at 6-1. The Panthers face a lot of big receivers in the NFC South in Atlanta's Julio Jones and Tampa Bay's Mike Evans, another reason Gettleman went with size, ESPN reported.

The toilet: Bradberry was walking into his mom’s bathroom to work on the toilet when he felt his cell phone ring. When he saw it was a North Carolina area code his heart began to pound real fast. He admittedly knows a lot more about football than he does fixing toilets. “I don’t really know how to fix things for real, but I try when I can,’’ he said. Bradberry considers his strengths his versatility and physicality. He is considered best fit for zone coverage, which the Panthers play a lot. As for the toilet, Bradberry said, “It’s still in there waiting on me. It may not get fixed.’’

In 2014, he was named second-team All-SoCon by the league’s coaches, started all 11 games as cornerback and finished the season with 25 tackles including 22 solo stops and 3.0 tackles for loss, according to the Samford University website.

In 2013, he played in all 13 games, started 12 games as cornerback had 26 tackles including 17 solo stops, intercepted two passes and had 10 pass break-ups.

2012, Bradberry started all 11 games as cornerback had 32 total tackles including 22 solo stops, intercepted two passes and had two pass break-ups. He was also named to the Southern Conference’s All-Freshman team.

What's next: The Panthers gave up a fourth-round pick and traded third- and fifth-round picks with Cleveland to move up to No. 77 in the third. They used that to select West Virginia cornerback Daryl Worley, also big , also big at 6-1 and 202 pounds. They have a fifth- and seventh-round pick for Day 3 of the draft. Perhaps a safety or a backup offensive lineman will be the direction there.

Panthers take DT Vernon Butler from Louisiana Tech with 30th pick

(AP) Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman couldn't help himself.

When defensive tackle defensive tackle Vernon Butler from Louisiana Tech dropped to the 30th spot in the NFL draft, Gettleman took him, giving the NFC champions even more depth on an already strong and deep interior defensive line.

The 6-foot-3, 316-pound Butler won't start, but gives the Panthers another "hog molly," as Gettleman likes to call them.

"I couldn't help my hog molly self," Gettleman said with a laugh. "We were really kind of shocked that he was there. I don't know why he fell. It was like my first draft here and watching Star (Lotulelei) fall to us. But the value was too good. He's big and powerful and athletic and has all of the stuff."

Butler had 50 tackles and three sacks last season as a senior and was named first-term All-Conference USA.

The Panthers came into the draft needing to fill openings at defensive end following the retirement of Jared Allen and cornerback after the departure of All-Pro Josh Norman, but Gettleman didn't go that direction after five cornerbacks and three defensive ends went off the board.

The Panthers have Lotutelei and Kawann Short — whom Gettleman drafted in the first and second round respectively in 2013 — as their current starting defensive tackles. They picked up the fifth-year option on Lotulelei earlier this week and are hoping to sign Short, who had 11 sacks last season, to a long-term contract before the start of next season.

Butler is an athletic player, who didn't switch from basketball to football until his junior year of high school.

"To be honest I wasn't getting no taller being 6-foot-4," Butler said. "I knew I wasn't going to be playing in the post unless I was 6-9."

Butler's father played guard for Northeast Louisiana University on a team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 1982.

Gettleman said seven teams tried to trade up with the Panthers to the 30th spot.

"The deals weren't very attractive," Gettleman said. "We got on the clock and they started to up the ante, but we had made up our mind by then."

Ron Rivera said Butler is more of a 3-technique, but who can also play the nose tackle spot. Rivera said Butler helps fill the void created by Dwan Edwards, who retired after the season.

"He is explosive and powerful at the point of attack," Rivera said. "We most certainly do see the upside."

While Butler doesn't have big sack numbers, the Panthers like the way he impacts the game.

"You can't go strictly by the numbers," Gettleman said. "It is about do they help other people make plays. This kid not only has the ability to create, but to finish too."

Rivera also liked Butler's ability to retain information during interviews with him and feels he will pick up the scheme quickly. Rivera said he expects Butler to be a part of the rotation right away.

"I am going to do what the coach wants me to do," Butler said. "If they need a rotational guy. I will be a rotational guy."

Butler said the Detroit Lions told him they were going to draft him with the 16th pick, but that never happened. He said he's thrilled to wind up with a team that finished 17-2 last season and has won three straight NFC South championships.

"I'm a big Cam Newton fan and I have been a fan of him since he was at Auburn," Butler said.

The Panthers didn't strongly consider drafting a defensive end because Gettleman feels they have "good, young, raw talent" at that position, even with Charles Johnson getting older and Allen retiring. However, Gettleman also said he anticipates the Panthers will draft a cornerback at some point this weekend to help replace Norman.

The Panthers have one pick in both the second and third rounds on Friday.

Cox Media Group