Owning the first pick of the fourth round offered the Panthers a unique opportunity. It meant they had about 12 hours to contemplate who they wanted when the draft resumed for its third and final day.
“We all slept on it and got our heads together (Saturday) morning,” said Jeff Morrow, director of college scouting. “Ian kept coming up. It was pretty easy.”
Indiana tight end Ian Thomas was the “easy” selection for Carolina. The 6-foot-4, 259-pounder is an ideal developmental prospect to pair with All-Pro veteran Greg Olsen.
But getting to this point was far from easy for Thomas, a Baltimore native who lost his parents and was raised by older siblings beginning at nine years old.