Marty Hurney drafted 36 non-quarterback offensive players in his first stint with the Carolina Panthers as general manager. If you look closely, there are definite patterns that are to be found.

For this piece, I took a look at all 36 players and tried to find these patterns, be it certain tendencies at certain positions, or certain rounds for others, and link them to the closest fitting players available in the 2018 NFL draft.

Here are the findings.

Running back

Average running back drafted by Marty Hurney

Height Weight 40-yard dash Bench Vertical Broad 3 Cone 20-yard shuttle Draft Position 72′ 225 4.51 22 37′ 122′ 7.15 4.24 1st-2nd round

Recent draft picks: DeAngelo Williams (2007), Jonathan Stewart (2008)

The average running back drafted from 2002-2012 by Hurney was typically a heavier, slower and more powerful running back with explosive forward ability, and lesser ability to cut or change direction. Hurney valued running backs with high picks, with only one being taken past round two of the five selected total. Here are two running backs that fit these figures the best, comparative to combine numbers and relative draft value.

Nick Chubb

Hurney likes early-round backs, plain and simple. Come late April, Nick Chubb will be one of the first off the board behind Penn St.’s Saquon Barkley. With a 5-foot-11 frame and weighing in at 227 pounds, Chubb is practically the perfect mold for past drafted backs by Hurney. He also ran a 4.52 second 40-yard dash to go along with his astounding 38.5′ vertical and 29 bench reps. His broad jump of 128″ was above and beyond the average mark, and his 7.09 and 4.25 in the 3 cone and 20-yard shuttle, respectively, were better than average.

Derrius Guice

Although Guice chose not to participate in half of the combine’s events, Guice fits the mold for a Marty Hurney running back. The LSU star ran a 4.49 second 40-yard dash and posted a 31.5″ vertical. His 15 bench reps of 225 were above average as well. His lack of other numbers from his events make it a hard fit, but he is likely one of the best fits in the first two rounds of the draft for the team, and a definite contender for the Panthers in the first round.

Honorable mention: Rashaad Penny

Related Panthers GM Marty Hurney on hand for LSU Pro Day

Wide receiver

Average wide receiver drafted by Marty Hurney

Height Weight 40-yard dash Bench Vertical Broad 3 Cone 20-yard shuttle Draft Position 73′ 202 4.49 13 37′ 123′ 6.92 4.21 2nd-5th round

Former draft picks: Joe Adams (2012), Kealoha Pilares (2011)

Unsurprisingly, Hurney prefers average sized receivers at around 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds. Surprisingly, straight line speed does not look to much of a factor in his decision making. The average receiver ran 4.49 second 40-yard dash, and four of the ten drafted ran higher than the listed average. Here are two receivers that fit this mold, expected to go after the first round.

DJ Chark

Chark doesn’t perfectly fit the mold – his main difference was the 40-yard dash, where he ran a spectacular 4.34, which would be a major bonus. The receiver from LSU likely will not be available when the Panthers select in round two, but he does look to be a fit in the mold that Hurney likes. His 6-foot-3, 200 pound frame fits the bill, and his 40-inch vertical is three inches above the average. His 129″ broad jump again jumps the mark, as does his his 4.21 shuttle time. His 3 cone of 6.95 and his 15 reps at the bench match well with the mold.

Dasean Hamilton

At 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Hamilton fits the bill for a Hurney drafted receiver. His 4.54 40-yard dash is more inline for the GM who does not put much into straight line speed. His broad jump is a tad below the mark at 118, and his vertical jump leaves a little to be desired at 35 inches, but his 3 cone of 6.84 and shuttle time of 4.15 seal the deal on being a good tendency fit.

Honorable mention: Dylan Cantrell

Related Panthers trade up for WR help in new 2018 mock draft

Tight end

Height Weight 40-yard dash Bench Vertical Broad 3 Cone 20-yard shuttle Draft Position 76 254 4.82 20 34 114 7.03 4.21 5th-7th round

Recent draft picks: Gary Barnidge (2008), Dante Rosario (2007)

The main priority for the late round tight ends selected appears to be the 3 cone and shuttle. In fact, only one tight ends in this year’s class surpasses the Panther’s average 3 cone in their selection history, and only two surpass the average shuttle speed of the past selections. Here are two that are expected to go from the fifth to seventh round.

Tyler Conklin

Projected to go in the fifth round, Conklin is about the closest one will come to getting a historical fit at the tight end position this year. Conklin posted a 4.80 40-yard dash and 18 reps at the bench, both solid fits historically. His broad jump of 120″ beat the mark, as did his 38″ vertical. His 3 cone of 7.13 left some to be wanted, but his shuttle time of 4.23 makes up for it.

Durham Smythe

The second closest comes in the form of Notre Dame product Durham Smythe. Smythe ran well with a 4.81 40 and a posted an iffy 31-inch vertical. His 18 reps at the bench and broad jump of 110 fit right in Hurney’s mold. His 3 cone of 7.17 is close to Conklin for the later rounds, and his shuttle time ran the same with the former.

Related Greg Olsen is committed to playing for Panthers in 2018

Offensive tackle

Height Weight 40-yard dash Bench Vertical Broad 3 Cone 20-yard shuttle Draft Position 77 312 5.31 24 27 101 7.92 4.62 1st, 3rd, 7th rounds

Recent draft picks: Lee Ziemba (2011), Geoff Schwartz (2008)

The only real correlations in the tackle department were that A) bench press doesn’t matter and B) nobody taller than 6-foot-6 or shorter than 6-foot-4 was drafted. They were also heavier and less athletic than the guards and centers drafted.

Chukwuma Okorafor

Projected to go in the third round, Okorafor stacks up nicely to Hurney’s prototypical tackle. The tackle from Western Michigan ran a 5.31 at a hefty 320 pounds. His 23.5″ vertical left something to be desired, but athleticism doesn’t appear to be what Hurney goes for. He put up 19 reps at the bench, but that would fit in nicely with the data set that has numbers from the past such as 16, 20, 28, 28 and 30. His broad jump is right on average and his 3 cone is slightly better at 7.87, but his shuttle suffered at 4.80.

Will Richardson

At 6-foot-6, 306 pounds, Richardson’s frame is large. His 40 suffered because of this, as he ran a 5.26. His broad jump of 108″ was comfortably above the metric of 101, and his 7.80 3 cone was better than average.

Guard

Height Weight 40-yard dash Bench Vertical Broad 3 Cone 20-yard shuttle Draft Position 76 310 5.25 26 30 103 7.76 4.71 5th-7th round

Recent players drafted: Amini Silatolu (2012), Zack Williams (2011)

The guards seemed to show a bit more of a pattern, with a higher bench press rate and a 40-yard dash below 5.40.

Wyatt Teller

Teller’s draft projection fits for a projected fifth-or-sixth round pick. He has great strength, with a steel frame and a 460-pound bench press and 600-pound squat via Lance Zierlein. At 6-foot-4, 314 pounds, Teller is a monster in the middle of the line. His 5.24 40 was under the mark, and his 30 bench reps were among the top of the interior offensive lineman. His broad jump crushed the average, showcasing his athleticism and strength from his legs. His 3 cone of 7.45 was also below the average.

Skyler Phillips

With a similar frame to Teller at 6-foot-3 and 318 pounds, Phillips is another hog molly. His 5.10 40 showed he can hustle down field, and his 104-inch broad jump was in line with the average. His 3 cone was below average at 7.95, but his shuttle time was faster by .03 seconds.

Related Panthers pick Andrew Norwell replacement in new 2018 mock draft

Center

Height Weight 40-yard dash Bench Vertical Broad 3 Cone 20-yard shuttle Draft Position 76 304 5.12 30 28 104 7.45 4.38 No Correlation

Recent draft picks: Ryan Kalil (2007), Will Montgomery (2006)

Hurney seemed to medium sized centers at around 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds with fast 3 cones and shuttle speeds.

Scott Quessenberry

With a fast 3 cone at 7.50 and an ideal size at 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds, Quessenberry is the ideal physique for Hurney, and is projected to go in the 6th-7th round. His 40 yard dash of 5.09 is the fastest of the class, which cements him as a solid prospect given Hurney’s background.

James Daniels

At 6-foot-3 and 306 pounds, Daniels is the ideal size for Hurney at the center position. His 21 reps at the bench were not great for the position, but his 30.5′ vertical makes up for it with explosiveness. He also excelled in the broad jump and 3 cone, where his 108″ jump and 7.29 time was much better than average. He is projected to be picked Day 2.

Related Marty Hurney says Panthers want to keep Ryan Kalil

Other apps just deliver sports. The USA TODAY Sportswire app lets you pick specific team sites to get only the news that you want to know.

newsletter Get 10 hot stories each day Thanks for signing up.

Please check your email for a confirmation. Thanks for signing up.

Please check your email for a confirmation.