You can lose a draft before you make a pick. The Panthers did it at the trade table, overpaying to chase players the board did not price nearly as high. The process wobbled, and the D- is where it lands.

They punted on wide receiver, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They banked enough surplus on Slaughter to cover a lot of smaller sins. Cornerback was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.

Value over need was the throughline, for better and worse.

Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even.