With the Pro Bowl results fresh off the press, the Carolina Panthers will be sending four members of their team to Hawaii in February, with two first timers.  There may be some lamenting over the weight placed on fan voting (1/3), as all of the big market teams have a distinct advantage, but overall I’d say the NFL got it right.

Starters

Julius Peppers (4th selection)- With the third most sacks in the NFC from a defensive end, Peppers is in no doubt deserving of the honor.  After an off year last season in which he recorded only 2.5 sacks, Peppers has rebounded nicely, and will be starting alongside Jarrett Allen at defensive end for the NFC.  I must say though I though John Abraham got shafted, getting beat out by Justin Tuck for the final DE spot (probably because Tuck is a Giant).  Abrham has 15.5 sacks to Tuck’s 12, and the only real difference in their number is Tuck has an interception run back for a touchdown.  I guess and interception equals four sacks.

Jordan Gross (1st selection)- With no real stats for you to go by when looking at offensive linemen, it really comes down to name and team recognition, and Jordan Gross has both.  With the Panthers 4th in the league in rushing, and 7th in sacks allowed, there was no doubt the Panthers deserved at least on Pro Bowler from the offensive line, and Gross was the obvious choice.  I would say that Travelle Wharton definetly was deserving as well, but it’s hard to argue against Steve Hutchinson, Chris Snee, and Leonard Davis.

Reserves

Steve Smith (4th selection)- It’s pretty amazing that after missing the first two games because of John Fox’s suspension, Smith is third in the league in receiving yards, T5 for plays over 20 yards, and T12 in receiving touchdowns.  Smith is quite possibley one of the best receivers in the league, and is a dynamic part of the Panthers offense this season, though not all of it, as he has been in years past.

Jon Beason (1st selection)- Beason is second in the league in tackles with a 122, and leads the Panthers with three interceptions, what’s more is that this is only Beason’s second season.  It is clear that the Panthers have a big star in the making with Beason, and this will be the first of many more Pro Bowls to come for the middle linebacker.

Noteworthies

DeAngelo Williams- I know we all wanted to see DeAngelo sneak in with that third running back slot, and if he did you really couldn’t argue against the selection.  Williams is second in the NFL rushing touchdowns with 14 and fourth in total rushing yards, but his competition was outstanding: Adrian Peterson, Clinton Portis, and Michael Turner.  While Williams trails in yards, has received substantially less carries that the other three backs and sports a whopping 5.5 yard per rush average, well above Peterson, Portis, and Turner.  Again the issue of fan voting and name recognition comes up, as these guys definitely beat out Williams in those categories.  Like it or not that’s the way it is.

Travelle Wharton- Wharton has cemented his spot as the best guard in football not to be selected to a Pro Bowl, but it really doesn’t matter since the Panthers are paying him as if his’s a two time Pro Bowler.  With Wharton and Gross anchoring the right side of the Panthers line, there is no doubt the Panthers have one of the fiercest left sides in football.