While instant analysis and the oft-premature practice of declaring certain teams to have "won" the NFL Draft has become one of the event's hallmarks, anyone truly invested in the development of NFL talent knows that it takes several years before the quality of a team's draft class can truly be measured. If the results of the 2018 season are any indication, the Carolina Panthers' most recent draft class will pay dividends for years to come. But at least one draft analyst is somewhat less keen on Carolina's haul than he originally was.

In his re-grade of the 2018 NFL Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Panthers a B-, dropping them down a peg after originally giving them an A-. While Kiper was very keen on the Year One results of wide receiver D.J. Moore, cornerback Donte Jackson, and tight end Ian Thomas, he was less enthused with the rest of the class.

"(Defensive end) Marquis Haynes and (linebacker) Jermaine Carter and (safety) Rashaan Gaulden played few snaps on a defense that needed a jolt down the stretch," wrote Kiper. "There were no other meaningful contributors (Linebacker Andre Smith and defensive tackle Kendrick Norton)."

Kiper stated that his overarching issue with the Panthers' 2018 Draft class was that they did not address their need for a pass rusher, which is now the team's most outstanding issue ahead of the 2019 Draft. Granted, this doesn't necessarily take Haynes or Carter into account - Both of whom, as Kiper mentioned, played in a limited role during their rookie seasons.

Haynes served as a healthy scratch for most of his rookie season, playing in just four games with as many combined tackles to his credit. Carter, meanwhile, served primarily as a special teams linebacker while also getting his feet wet on defense: Most notably in the final two games of the season, where he started in Week 16 and made seven tackles following an injury to Shaq Thompson.

All members of the Panthers' 2018 Draft class (With the exception of Norton, who is no longer with the team) should be expected to step into more prominent roles during the 2019 season. In separate appearances on WFNZ in Charlotte, both Carter and Rashaan Gaulden addressed the idea of playing bigger roles on the defense, with Carter stating that he has an eye towards filling Thompson's old role as his veteran teammate moves into Thomas Davis' spot.

"It all comes with work," said Carter in January. "I have to put the work in the offseason and be ready to go when my number's called."

As for Gaulden, the rising second-year safety stated that he is looking to win the confidence of Carolina's coaching staff as he works under new defensive backs coach Perry Fewell.

"I have full faith in them to put me and my teammates in different positions to succeed," said Gaulden in February. "Just going forward, I hope that can be done."