A magical Cinderella story for the Panthers came to a crashing halt when the clock struck midnight against the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.

A team that many left for dead (including myself) before the season began, as the Panthers lost number one wideout Kelvin Benjamin to a season ending knee injury.

However, it was a combination of a well drafted defense blended with the Superman heroics of quarterback Cam Newton that led the Panthers to a remarkable 15-1 season.

The team got by on some smoke-and-mirrors throughout the season as Newton worked with a below average wide receiver unit, but found ways to make big plays each game when it counted the most.

Newton also worked behind an offensive line that was exposed during the Super Bowl for having limitations and obvious weak spots, specifically at the tackle position where it's likely one of Michael Oher or Mike Remmers will look to be replaced.

In continuing with this 32 article series, here's a look at the top needs for the Carolina Panthers as well as a seven-round mock draft we ran through the FanSpeak mock draft simulator. We manually picked for Carolina while the picks for all other 31 teams were selected by the simulator.

1. Offensive Tackle

Give Newton credit for flat out thriving behind a subpar offensive line while he put together a MVP type season.

Newton found ways to get rid of the ball quickly while making huge plays with his feet when the pocket collapsed, turning him into an impossible code to crack for NFL defenses.

While Von Miller and Demarcus Ware screaming off the edge could make even a grown man cry, it was obvious in the Super Bowl when it counted the most that the Panthers tackle play couldn't hold up under pressure situations.

It’s true, Michael Oher and Mike Remmers are great stories, but the fact remains the front office needs to focus on getting Newton some more talent and help at the position.

2. Safety

I don't believe it until I see it but apparently safety Roman Harper has officially retired (again).

The loss of Harper opens up a hole in the back end of the secondary next to Kurt Coleman, and puts the Panthers in a position to draft a safety to replace him early in the draft.

Luckily for the front office, Coleman can play the center field coverage role while the draft is loaded with heavy hitters in the strong safety mold that can make some serious noise in the box under Rivera’s tutelage.

3. Cornerback  

Let's not kid ourselves, Josh Norman has developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the business.  With outstanding foot technique and man coverage skill-set Norman plays an aggressive brand of football that fits perfectly into the identity Rivera has built on defense.

The problem lies behind Norman on the depth chart as there isn't much to offer opposite of him on the outside, or in the slot.  This allows teams to easily scheme and gameplan against Norman spreading them out in four and five wide receiver sets finding an obvious mismatch.

While Charles Tillman has been one of the most consistent and reliable cornerbacks in the league for the past decade, he is now 36 years old and coming off an ACL injury. Relying on Tillman to come back to full health and speed would be foolish for the team, while putting all their eggs in the Bene’ Benwikere basket cannot be condoned either.

4. Wide Receiver  

I can't think of another team that maximized such a soft position of talent than what the Panthers did with their receiving core. Thanks to an efficient power running game, Newton took advantage of single safety looks whenever possible with a miscast of former washups like Ted Ginn Jr and Jerricho Cotchery.

What's scary is the Panthers now get back one of the best and brightest playmakers in the league in Kelvin Benjamin, who missed the entire season due to a knee injury. With the return of Benjamin and an emerging target opposite of him in Devin Funchess it may appear on paper the position isn't a major priority.

However, the likes of Ginn, Cotchery, and others producing at a high level once again is tough to bank on, while counting on Benjamin to return to his former self isn’t a sure thing yet.

Adding more depth will likely come in the later rounds of the draft as the front office can mold and develop a receiver or two for the not so distant future. After all, if Newton can produce MVP type numbers with the cast he worked with last season, it’s scary to think what he could do with even more talent on the outside.

5. Defensive Line

The Panthers got the most out of their sixth-round pick they traded for Jared Allen, who added a fresh spark of pass-rushing skills into their rotation during their Super Bowl run.

With Allen’s retirement however, the team is back to Kony Ealy, an aging Charles Johnson, and not much else behind them.

Given Rivera’s emphasis on a heavy rotation of linemen that can create pressure with multiple looks and fronts, adding another young player into the mix could happen a lot earlier than you might think.