BR Community Mock Draft: Carolina Panthers Select...

The Buffalo Rumblings Community Mock Draft rolls along, with the No. 9 overall pick coming at you right now...

With the ninth overall pick in the BR Community Mock Draft, 'fansince60' and the Carolina Panthers select Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.

"I'm sure some will consider this somewhat of a curve ball," writes 'fansince60'. "It came down to defense and Luke Kuechly, Quinton Coples, Dontari Poe, and Cox. Ron Rivera, a former defensive coordinator, is surely embarrassed by the 2011 production of his defense, a defense remarkably similar in production to the Bills. The Panthers were the 28th overall defense - 24th versus the pass, and 25th against the run."

Much more from the GM after the jump. The Buffalo Bills and GM 'J2' are now on the clock; remember to send your picks to buffalorumblings@gmail.com.

"Carolina produced 31 sacks, two more than the Bills - i.e. their pass rush was anemic," continues 'fansince60'. "Their inability to pressure the opposing quarterback neutralized Cam Newton's effectiveness, and the defense could not stop the pass the last four games of 2011. To add insult to injury, they drafted two defensive tackles last year. Sione Fua was so-so, and Terrell McClain was borderline awful. Combined, they contributed 17 solo tackles and 11 assists. By comparison, Marcell Dareus had 32 solo tackles and 11 assists by himself.

"As for the prospects," continues the GM, "Coples had a horrible senior year, basically mailing it in. He seemed almost 'Maybin-esque' - a red flag. Poe, while having an outstanding combine, appears to be a workout wonder and didn't show the same domination in game tape - another red flag. So it became a tough call between Kuechly and Cox. Cox is a fast, versatile tackle with both the power to disrupt blocking schemes and the speed to rush the passer. Despite missing the first game of the season last year (for violating team rules), Cox had 56 tackles, 14.5 for losses, five sacks and a forced fumble. In the combine, he ran a 4.79 40, a 1.63 10-yard split, and exhibited excellent footwork in every drill - all excellent measureables for a 6'4", 300-pound DT. The best fit for the Panthers tipped the scales in Cox's favor. Oh, and a sage old GM once said, you can't go wrong with the SEC."