ESPN.com · May 18, 2017
Panthers better hope TE Greg Olsen stays healthy
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The closer it got to the No. 8 pick of the NFL draft the clearer it became the Carolina Panthers would take Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey or Alabama tight end O.J. Howard.
McCaffrey obviously was their first choice, as they selected the 20-year-old for the versatility and speed he would offer to the offense.
That wasn’t a surprise.
What was a surprise is that general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t use one of his seven picks on a tight end in what was a deep year at the position.
Not even in the seventh round, when he took place-kicker Harrison Butker out of Georgia Tech.