Fanart » So far, Moton has held his own in the preseason

CHARLOTTE https://www.carolinapanthersfanshop.com/Donte-Jackson-Jersey , N.C. (AP) The Carolina Panthers turned their attention to the secondary on the second day of the NFL draft – and added an extra draft pick along the way.The Panthers selected cornerback Donte Jackson from LSU in the second round and safety Rashaan Gaulden from Tennessee in the third round Friday night, one day after taking wide receiver D.J. Moore from Maryland with the 24th overall pick in round one.”That is an area we wanted to upgrade,” Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said of the defensive backfield.Carolina, coming off an 11-5 season, also wanted to get faster on defense – and it did.The 5-foot-11, 178-pound Jackson possesses high-end speed, clocked at 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combines. That tied him for the fastest 40-time among rookie cornerbacks.”With Jackson, that is adding about as much speed as you can,” Hurney said.Coach Ron Rivera said the addition of Jackson and Gaulden gives them some swagger back in the secondary that they had been missing after the departure of All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman. Carolina’s starting cornerbacks didn’t have any interceptions through the first 14 games last season.He feels like Jackson and Gaulden both have a big chip on their shoulder.”My expectation is to be a starter from day one,” Jackson said. ”I am going to be more than ready and I anticipate being a starter.”Jackson could have a chance to start opposite James Bradberry as a rookie.The Panthers traded last year’s starter Daryl Worley to the Philadelphia Greg Olsen Jersey , although the Eagles later waived him following an off-the-field incident. Carolina added Ross Cockrell in free agency and Kevon Seymour made some plays at cornerback last season.Jackson played in all 12 games last season for the Tigers and was a second-team all-SEC selection in 2017. He started 12 of 13 games and had 49 tackles, an interception and 10 pass breakups.Jackson said not being selected in the first round – he was taken with the 55th selection overall – has left him with a chip on his shoulder ”the size of this hotel that I am staying in right now.””Seeing all of those guys picked before me when I was thought to be a first-round draft pick, that chip grew with every pick that I didn’t see my name called,” said Jackson, who was a member of LSU’s SEC Championship 4×100-relay track team last year.Hurney said Jackson has outstanding ball skills, and the reason he likely fell to No. 55 overall was because of his lack of size.Rivera said while Bradberry will cover the opposition’s bigger receivers, Jackson can handle the smaller, faster ones.”We feel like he can play outside corner and nickel,” Hurney said.The Panthers view the 6-foot-3, 193 Gaulden as a safety Fozzy Whittaker Color Rush Jersey , although he has played some cornerback and nickel back for the Vols.Rivera likes that Gaulden has good speed for his size and feels he can cover tight ends.”I can play anything in the defensive backfield,” Gaulden said. ”It’s just the confidence that I have had and through the coaches who trained me to be able to play any position in the back end. But I can play safety at a very high level and that is what the Panthers see me as.”Gaulden had only one interception during three seasons for the Vols, but had three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries last season.”I try to get to the ball however I can,” Gaulden said.Carolina traded its other third-round pick, No. 88 overall, to Green Bay in exchange for the Packers‘ fourth- and fifth-round picks. The Panthers now have six picks on Saturday, including the first pick of the day, the 101st overall.Hurney said that having the first pick in the third day of the draft is a ”valuable spot.”— As we roll into Week 1, the Panthers face a young Dallas Cowboys squad with a solid run game. The Panthers defense will have their work cut out for them stopping the run and the offense looks to succeed in its first action under freshman offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Here are the key matchups to watch.Luke Kuechly vs. Ezekiel ElliottOne of the top running backs in the NFL faces arguably the best defender in the league. Elliott is a threat whether he is taking handoffs in the backfield or catching passes. Kuechly is a top tier run and pass defender. This is one of the premier matchups of Week 1 no matter how you slice it, and could impact the game more than any other one-on-one matchup. Kuechly can patrol sideline to sideline against the best of them Rashaan Gaulden Jersey , however Elliott lead the league in rushing his rookie year for a reason. Elliott figures to be heavily involved in all aspects of their offense as the consensus best weapon for the Cowboys.Mario Addison vs. Tyron SmithIn regards to the line, the rushing game will be a big factor. However, rushing Dak Prescott will be key as well. Kawann Short and Dontari Poe will make their debut as a unit, but ol’ reliable Mario Addison needs to show up as well. He has worked his way into a 3 down role with the Panthers, and will see Pro Bowler tackle Tyron Smith most of the night. Addison’s one of the better speed rushers in the NFL, but Smith is no stranger to top tier players. If Addison can get consistent pressure then Carolina’s secondary can make plays.Panthers tackles vs. Demarcus LawrenceThe Cowboys best pass rusher will face off against Taylor Moton and whatever the team has planned at right tackle. This could be problematic for a team that is attempting to be a more high powered passing offense. No, scratch that, it WILL be a problem. So far, Moton has held his own in the preseason. But playing 4 quarters against starting defensive lineman is a different animal. I also imagine the Cowboys will have a plan to attack the right side of the line, seeing as it will either be a plan C or a guy who is still recovering from injury. Pray for Cam Newton Thomas Davis Color Rush Jersey , please.Devin Funchess vs. Byron JonesThe Cowboys sport an underrated group of athletes at linebacker. Between Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith, they should have a plan for Greg Olsen. I don’t expect them to completely shut him down, but it should provide some 1 on 1 opportunities for the Panthers de facto number 1 wide receiver. Funchess is coming off a breakout year, showing he can be the number one target and succeed. However, I want to see it more consistently when he isn’t the best option among a series of bad ones. Funchess should be in for a workload of moving the chains. In a contract year, this is the perfect game to start building a case for his payday.What players are you watching, Panthers fans?