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The Carolina Panthers waited patiently for two hours before they were on the clock with their mid-first round pick in last weekend's NFL Draft.
When they looked on the board and saw who was still available, it took them a whopping 30 seconds to pick up Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei with the 14th overall pick.
Lotulelei was projected by most draft experts to land somewhere between first and seventh overall, but after a heart condition was discovered just before the NFL combine, his draft stock took a hit.
Star has been fully cleared since that initial test, joining an organization with two Pro Bowl former Utes already on the roster - offensive lineman Jordan Gross and wide receiver Steve Smith.
"There's a lot to like," Panthers defensive line coach Eric Washington said last Thursday just moments after selecting Lotulelei. "It's always exciting to be a part of a young man realizing his dream, and for it to be a guy of his caliber, football character and personal character, that's really exciting."
"I'm thrilled to finally know where I will begin my professional football career," Lotulelei said in a statement released last Thursday. "I've heard great things about the Carolina organization and the city of Charlotte. I can't wait to get started."
Perhaps falling to the 14th spot may be a blessing in disguise. Here are three reasons why:
Surrounding cast
Star went up against double and triple teams consistently against Pac-12 talent, freeing up the other lineman and linebackers to have one on one opportunities to make plays. In Carolina he'll be teamed up with Dwan Edwards and double-digit sack artists Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy in the trenches. Oh, and having last season's AP Defensive Rookie of the Year at linebacker (Luke Kuechly) doesn't hurt either.
Ute connections
Having former Utes on the Panthers' roster will help aid Star along in the transition from playing Saturdays to Sundays. It also helps that those two Utes happen to be Pro Bowlers (Jordan Gross, Steve Smith). Playing for the University of Utah is similar to a brotherhood or fraternity - the program is very family oriented. In fact Star declined an invite to attend the draft, choosing to watch it with his family.
Solid franchise
The best thing about falling to a later pick? He got selected by a better team. Granted the Panthers aren't perennial Super Bowl contenders quite yet, but the program is set up to be able to win right away. With a solid offense run by former No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton and a scary good defensive line (and linebackers), the Panthers have a shot at returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
