CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Panthers continued to upgrade their offensive team speed, selecting slot receiver Curtis Samuel from Ohio State with the first of two second round draft picks.
Carolina used its other pick in the second round on offensive tackle Taylor Moton from Western Michigan. Carolina still has a third-round pick (No. 98) remaining Friday night.
The 5-foot-11, 196-pound Samuel played running back and wide receiver for the Buckeyes and led Big Ten in all-purpose yards. He ran for 771 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 8 yards per carry. He also impressed with his route running, catching 74 passes for 865 yards and seven TDs to lead the Big Ten in all-purpose yards.
Curtis said on a conference call the Panthers told him they plan to use him as a slot receiver.
The speedy Samuel gives the Panthers even more versatility on offense and another big play threat to go along with 2015 league MVP quarterback Cam Newton, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and All-Pro tight end Greg Olsen.
Carolina selected versatile running back Christian McCaffrey from Stanford with the eighth overall pick in the first round Thursday night. McCaffrey led the nation in all-purpose yards last season working as a running back, wide receiver and returner.
"It's going to be a great offense," Samuel said. McCaffrey "and I both can do similar things and I think we complement each other well."
Samuel has a similar build to the 5-10, 202-pound McCaffrey, but is faster. He ran a 4.31 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine, the second-fastest time among wide receivers behind only John Ross (4.22), who set a combine record.
"I feel like I'm the perfect fit" in the slot, Samuel said.
Carolina has been trying to upgrade its speed at wide receiver ever since losing Ted Ginn Jr. to New Orleans and Philly Brown to Buffalo in free agency. They restocked by adding free agent wide receivers Charles Johnson and Russell Shepard.
The Panthers took the 6-foot-5. 319-pound Moton at No. 64, after former Carolina defensive coordinator and new Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott traded up one spot ahead of the Panthers to take Temple offensive tackle Dion Dawkins.
Moton was a four-year starter for Western Michigan.
He was told by the Panthers he will compete for a job at right tackle. Michael Oher, the projected starter, still has not been cleared from the NFL's concussion protocol after missing 13 games last season.
Western Michigan was 24th in the country in rushing and allowed just 15 sacks all season.
Moton shares the same agent, Joel Segal, as McCaffrey and said he's excited to play with the former Stanford running back.
"I can't want to open some holes for him," Moton said.
McCaffrey was introduced at a press conference Friday night after a meeting with team owner Jerry Richardson. Among those on hand were his parents -- mother Lisa and father Ed, a three-time Super Bowl champion. The younger McCaffrey joked that he's never tried on any of his dad's championship rings, joking that "I'm going to have earn one of my own."
McCaffrey said he's learned on his father for advice throughout his career. When asked what his father told him about the transition to the NFL, McCaffrey replied, "He told me, `Learn as much as you can, work as hard as you can and everything else will take care of itself."'
