Carolina Panthers

2017 NFL Draft Grades: Carolina Panthers Select Christian McCaffrey

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:55 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Stephen Forsha/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

The Carolina Panthers added a dynamic element to their offense with the No. 8 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, taking Christian McCaffrey.

The Carolina Panthers added a versatile player with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday night by selecting Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, giving their offense not only a player who can rush the football, but can make plays with his pass-catching abilities as well.

Some have described McCaffrey as the "most complete running back in the draft." The Panthers now have Cam Newton at quarterback, McCaffrey at running back, plus Kelvin Benjamin at wide receiver and Greg Olsen at tight end.

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Any way you look at it, the Panthers are back in the conversation of being one of the top offenses with the selection of McCaffrey, a player who in three years at the collegiate level rushed for 3,922 yards on 632 carries. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry in three seasons, plus 21 touchdowns. Don't forget, McCaffrey can catch passes too, hauling in 99 passes for 1,206 yards at Stanford with 10 touchdowns.

McCaffrey had a 2,000-yard rushing season two years ago in 2015, a season where in 14 games he rushed the ball 337 times for 2,019 yards and eight touchdowns. That season, he totaled 2,664 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns.

This past season, in 11 games with the Cardinals, McCaffrey rushed for 1,603 yards and 13 touchdowns on 253 carries. In comparison, Fozzy Whittaker for Carolina led the running backs with 25 receptions for 225 yards.

Christian McCaffrey

RB, Carolina Panthers

All of that said, what McCaffrey brings to the Panthers is a player who will most likely keep pressure off of Newton, but open up better looks for the for MVP quarterback. What is great for Carolina with this pick as well is the fact they don't need McCaffrey to be the end-all, be-all for the franchise.

McCaffrey is the best pick the Panthers could have made with the eighth overall pick. Fans should be ecstatic about the overall athlete and pure football player their franchise selected. Carolina will be a different team than what was on the field last season, and fans of the Panthers should expect to return to the playoffs in 2017, though the NFC South will be no walk in the park.

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