Marty Hurney's travel itinerary for March and early April was much busier this spring than during the previous six years he and coach John Fox have led the Carolina Panthers' organization.

Hurney, the team's general manager, decided to get more of a first-hand look at NFL draft prospects by attending far more pro-day and individual workouts than he has before. The workouts usually are held on the players' college campuses.

Hurney won't reveal where he went and frequently said "Stop tracking us!" when asked for details of his whereabouts.

Here are seven stops, which leaked out through various sources, providing a glimpse of who the top man in the Panthers' front office has been personally tracking leading to next weekend's draft:

March 3: Boise State tackle Ryan Clady.

March 18: Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and tackle Gosder Cherilus.

March 20: Central Florida running back Kevin Smith.

March 21: Vanderbilt tackle Chris Williams

March 25: Arkansas running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

March 27: Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall.

April 9: Pittsburgh tackle Jeffrey Otah.

Several trips included meals and/or extended meetings with the players — over and beyond the interviews that routinely occur during February at the NFL combine.

"It's just taking the time to try to sit down, maybe get away and just talk to people, asking them questions that cover a lot of areas," said Hurney. "It's probably no different than people doing job interviews.

"When you get a chance to sit down with players, and sit down with the coaches and talk to a guy face-to-face, you might get a better feel personally for those players.

"We have a pretty good idea of the type of person we want."

Fox accompanied Hurney on some visits, but the coach also struck out on his own to places like Florida to see highly rated defensive end Derrick Harvey and San Diego to check out middle-round quarterback prospect Josh Johnson.

As is the case every spring, assistant coaches and scouts also blanketed the country to watch prospects work out.

Hurney said there was no specific reason he decided to travel more this year.

"Every year you do this, you do some things differently," he said. "The more (information) you can get personally, the more you can get on your own, it can't hurt. It's just kind of another step, another piece of the puzzle. You try to examine things and do things a little bit better every year."

There have been whispers that Hurney's travels are because he and Fox are under pressure to win — or else — next season after going 7-9 last year.

"I've heard that," he said. "I don't think you do anything out of fear. Being competitive and wanting to succeed is the reason we do everything.

"Obviously, the last two seasons, we have not made the playoffs. Your drive is to get back and be in the playoffs and win your division."

It's critical the Panthers have a strong draft, something that's been inconsistent during the current regime. Their first-round picks have worked out well, but their record of landing solid prospects in later rounds is spotty.

Thus, Hurney said his travels were borne out of a passion to capitalize on a draft in which the Panthers have four of the first 74 selections and 10 picks overall.

"This isn't a job," he said. "It's something you do that's in you. There isn't anybody more driven than the people here

"So anything you can do to try to win, you look at and you do."