The Panthers used all seven of their picks in the NFL draft the past three days on defensive players, the most in the common draft era to be made all on defense, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Carolina tied the 1985 Cleveland Browns for the most picks on one side of the ball. The Browns used all seven picks on offense.
Rhule said the Panthers didn't go into the draft thinking they would take all defensive players but knew it would be defense-heavy.
"A few times we had an offensive guy as the next guy up,'' he said. "As it got within three or four picks that player went away.''
The Panthers made Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown the seventh overall pick on Thursday. They followed that on Friday with Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn in the second round.
They began Saturday's final draft day with Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr. in the fourth round, then selected West Virginia safety Kenny Robinson in the fifth, Baylor defensive tackle Bravvion Roy in the sixth and Florida International cornerback Stanley Thomas-Oliver in the seventh.
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I've always wanted to see a team do something like this. Depending on how quickly some of these guys make their way to the starting lineup they could be incredibly young (and cheap) on one side of the ball.
