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NFL Draft 2017: Top target for each team

By John Buhler

Oct 29, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) looks to throw in the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) looks to throw in the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 26, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) runs the ball for a touchdown past Florida Gators defensive back Chauncey Gardner Jr. (23) during the first quarter at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) runs the ball for a touchdown past Florida Gators defensive back Chauncey Gardner Jr. (23) during the first quarter at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /

Carolina Panthers: Dalvin Cook

The Carolina Panthers have to get more dynamic on offense in the 2017 NFL Draft. They could go with either a running back or a wide receiver with their No. 8 overall selection. Since a dominant running back will be more beneficial to quarterback Cam Newton than a vertical wide receiver, the Panthers should go with Florida State Seminoles tailback Dalvin Cook at No. 8.

To be fair, Carolina could also look to take LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette with this pick, but Cook will be able to do more things at the professional level than Fournette. Cook can factor in the receiving game and run off tackle in zone concepts, while Fournette will mostly run dives and cutbacks up the middle as a battering ram.

When Cook gets to that second level, he is nearly unstoppable with tremendous breakaway speed. He’s not particularly shifty like former Seminole running back Devonta Freeman, now with the Atlanta Falcons, but he could be of the Todd Gurley prototype of the Los Angeles Rams, the one cut and go variety.

At Florida State, Cook ran for 4,464 yards and 46 touchdowns in three years with the Seminoles. He ran for over 1,000 yards all three years in Tallahassee. Fortunately for the Panthers or whomever drafts Cook, Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher didn’t run the kid into the ground. Cook won’t rapidly decay as early as many top college tailbacks do in the NFL.

Having a versatile, bell-cow back that won’t get hurt is exactly what Newton needs in his backfield. Newton may never be an above-average passer in terms of accuracy. Having a reliable running back in Cook will only help Newton on his quest to get Carolina back to the Super Bowl.

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