CHARLOTTE – Do you think the Panthers will draft a linebacker in the first round?
If you asked linebackers coach Al Holcomb that question prior to the NFL Scouting Combine, his answer would have been, "Not likely."
Boasting one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL in Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, you could understand why.
But after the combine, the chances got increasingly more likely as Washington linebacker Shaq Thompson emerged as a target.
Fast forward to April 30 – day one of the NFL Draft. The Panthers have submitted their choice for the 25th overall selection in the first round, and Holcomb is staring anxiously at the television in the team's draft room.