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Panthers great tabbed amongst biggest draft steals of last 25 years
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- Panthers great tabbed amongst biggest draft steals of last 25 years
The Carolina Panthers might've gotten away with one of the biggest draft heists of the last quarter century.
Justin Melo over at Sports Illustrated has named the top steal from every NFL draft since 2000. Of the 25 names is former center and Panthers great Ryan Kalil , who was snatched up as a second-rounder in 2007.
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Melo writes:
The 2007 NFL Draft produced four Hall of Famers, all selected within the opening 14 picks. Late first-round picks Joe Staley and Greg Olsen (honorable mentions) were considered here, but we ultimately landed on second-round center Ryan Kalil. Kalil was a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the best centers in the league during his run.
Kalil—a first-team All-American, two-time All-Pac-10 honoree and Morris Trophy winner in college—was taken with the 59th overall pick of that draft. The University of Southern California product went on to spend 12 of his 13 pro campaigns in Carolina.
From 2007 to 2018, Kalil made 145 starts over 148 games—and became a two-time first-team All-Pro, a one-time second-team All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler in the process. He also played a part in four NFC South championship squads and the franchise's second-ever run to the Super Bowl.
There should be little doubt that Kalil will someday join the Panthers Hall of Honor as one of the greatest to ever don the black and blue.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers great tabbed amongst biggest draft steals of last 25 years
