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2013 NFL Redraft: Panthers nab Super Bowl DT instead of Star Lotulelei

The Carolina Panthers snagged Star Lotulelei in the 2013 NFL Draft, but hindsight suggests they should've gone with someone else.
Jeremy Brener|
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei stands on the sidelines during the game against the Houston Texans.
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei stands on the sidelines during the game against the Houston Texans. | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers selected Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Lotulelei spent the first five seasons of his eight-year career with the Panthers, but he failed to live up to the hype of being a first-round pick.

Pro Football Focus recently re-drafted the 2013 NFL Draft class, and the Panthers ended up taking defensive tackle Brandon Williams, who was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round.

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei works out prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei works out prior to the game at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

"Williams didn’t have much pass-rush production in his career, but he was one of the NFL’s best run stoppers over the first eight seasons of his career. He recorded a 91.0 PFF run-defense grade from 2013 to 2020, ranking ninth among qualified interior defenders," Pro Football Focus wrote.

"The long-time Baltimore Raven earned a positive grade on 25.2% of his run-defense snaps over that eight-year stretch, which was the second-highest rate at the position."

Williams played nine seasons with the Ravens before one final year with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.

The players chosen before Williams in the redraft exercise were tight end Travis Kelce, offensive tackle Lane Johnson, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, offensive tackle Terron Armstead, wide receiver Adam Thielen, cornerback Darius Slay, center Travis Frederick, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, running back Le'Veon Bell and tight end Zach Ertz.

The Panthers made a Super Bowl with Lotulelei in his third season in the league, but there's always a "what if" when it comes to teams that finish a buck short. Would things have been different if the Panthers chose Williams over Lotulelei?

It's hard to imagine there would have been a massive difference, but we can't say for certain that it wouldn't have changed a thing.

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams against the Las Vegas Raiders
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams against the Las Vegas Raiders. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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