In this series, I will be previewing the Carolina Panthers’ 2017 draft picks and how I believe they can contribute in their rookie year. Next up is the sixty-fourth overall pick Taylor Moton, an offensive tackle from Western Michigan. When the Panthers selected Moton they drafted a hog molly that is athletic and possesses the ability to hold his own in almost any situation who plays intelligently and doesn’t let players win in the same way twice if he can help it. Moton played weak competition and will need time to adjust to the NFL and is a little raw when it comes to footwork and how he comes out of his stance. Fortunately, and perhaps most importantly, the tackle possesses a desire to win every snap and protect his quarterback at all costs.
Passing Game Impact
As we assume Daryl Williams will be the opening day starter at right tackle, Moton likely won’t see many snaps in the early part of the season as a pass blocker, due to the way that Ron Rivera has handled young offensive tackles in the past. The likely progression is special teams blocking snaps, then run blocking, and finally, when he’s ready, pass blocking.
Even though Moton’s impact on the passing attack will be minimal unless injuries occur, Moton has the size, intellect and feet to become a great pass blocker. He utilizes his strength and initial punch to force defenders where he wants them and has the lateral agility to get into a position to intercept quicker edge rushers. He performs well when he understands where the defender wants to go and can react before the defender has started rushing; when blitzes are disguised well or a pass rusher attacks a different area than he expects, he is usually too late to make a difference.
Moton’s biggest road block is how poor his technique is and he will need to refine almost every aspect of his game before he is truly ready to protect Cam Newton. He should focus on learning how to bend properly and stop leaning forward; both would go a long way towards fixing his other technical issues and allow him to see playing time quicker.
Chart via Pro Football Focus
Run Game Impact
Taylor Moton is a mystery when it comes to run blocking. His running backs succeeded when they ran behind him and often times you could see Moton creating the hole or blocking the defender that was ready to make a play. However, there were also numerous times that he seemed to get completely turned around or simply couldn’t make it to the second level quick enough to make an impact. In his rookie year, Moton is likely to see play in jumbo packages as an additional run blocker for short yardage situations which should showcase his size and strength while masking his speed and technical problems.
Conclusion
Like Daeshon Hall, Moton will be asked to play a developmental role during the 2017 season; with Matt Kalil and Daryl Williams ahead of him, Moton will only see a large amount of playing time if injuries occur. He will likely be used as a blocker on special teams plays and short yardage situations as he develops into a starting caliber offensive tackle. The easiest way to describe Moton is a more athletic Mike Remmers. That may not sound appealing at first, but because Remmers’ main flaws came from his lack of athleticism. This is more of a compliment than you may think.
Check out our previous rookie previews of Curtis Samuel and Christian McCaffrey and check back throughout the offseason for previews of all of the Panthers’ 2017 draft picks!
