Five things to watch for as the Carolina Panthers open rookie minicamp in Charlotte
The NFL draft is the largest onboarding of talent for teams each year. Two weeks removed from the draft, it’s time for all those new faces to take the field.
The Carolina Panthers are expected to have all six of their 2022 draft selections, 13 undrafted free agents (UDFAs) and about 20 tryout players on the practice fields outside Bank of America Stadium this weekend.
Though rookie minicamp officially begins Friday and runs through Sunday, some Panthers rookies have been in town earlier this week getting settled and comfortable around the stadium.
In total, there will be about 35 players participating in rookie minicamp. Two quarterbacks, a bunch of undrafted wide receivers, several linemen and a mixed group of defenders highlight this year’s rookie class.
Here are five things to watch for:
1) First look at No. 6 pick Ikem Ekwonu
Some experiences are better in person. Panthers No. 6 pick Ikem Ekwonu fits that description.
Ekwonu (6-foot-4, 320 pounds) hasn’t had a public workout since the NFL Combine. He elected to forgo everything but the bench press at N.C. State’s pro day. It’ll be a blast to finally see the rookie wrecking ball in action.
He started every game last season at left tackle for N.C. State, and the Panthers have similar aspirations for him this fall.
Rookie Cade Mays will also be competing next to Ekwonu. The Panthers’ sixth-round pick (No. 199) has position flexibility as a guard or tackle. The team will likely try him at guard first.
Offensive linemen can only simulate so much during helmet-only practices. But we’ll get an idea of how well both rookie linemen move, how sound their hands are, and their competitive nature during the two practices. Learning under new offensive line coach James Campen will be an exciting crash course for the duo.
2) How will Matt Corral handle an NFL offense?
Expect rookie quarterback Matt Corral to lead quarterback drills and get a ton of reps this weekend.
His throwing talent is obvious. He features a tight and compact release, which evaluators deemed the quickest in his class. As an athlete, he extends plays with his feet while consistently keeping his eyes downfield.
What remains to be seen is how quickly he’ll grasp an NFL offense. At Ole Miss, he mastered Lane Kiffin’s uptempo, RPO-heavy attack. If Corral can command new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo’s offense with similar expertise, then he can challenge for the starting job come training camp.
Rookie minicamp is an excellent opportunity for Corral to not only begin his mental transition to the NFL but also get a head start on learning a new offense, which is also foreign to fellow quarterbacks Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker.
3) Which receivers will stand out?
With limited draft capital, general manager Scott Fitterer did the best he could to address the Panthers’ positions of need. But Carolina did not come out of the draft with a receiver or punt returner. Fitterer handled that by signing five UDFA wide receivers.
▪ Andrew Parchment, WR, Florida State: Parchment does not have the storied college career that his fellow UDFA receivers have. He played at four different colleges over five years. He stayed at Kansas the longest, playing two seasons and notching 831 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. After Kansas, he enrolled at Florida State but caught only 24 passes.
▪ Derek Wright, WR, Utah State: Wright is the strongest receiver in his class. His 21 reps in the bench press were more than any wideout at the combine. He scored 16 touchdowns, which ranked 16th in the nation, and made 48 catches for 789 yards. Wright was a walk-on at Utah State and went on to have a successful college career. Last season he showcased his explosiveness by making receptions of 41, 38, 25, 46, 41, 27, and 76 yards. He also scored multiple touchdowns in four different games
▪ Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami: Rambo going undrafted highlights how talented the 2022 receiving class is. He set single-season school records for catches (79) and yards (1,172). He has the size to make it in the NFL (6-1) but does not play like a big receiver. He’ll have plenty of competition at the Panthers’ camp, as every receiver Carolina is working out stands 6-1 or taller. Rambo had seven touchdowns in 12 games this season and can also return kicks.
▪ Ra’Shaun Henry, WR, Virginia: Henry can really run. He recorded a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. That type of speed helps keep receivers on the field. Henry also notched an impressive 17.7 yards-per-catch average last season. He averaged 50 yards per game as a senior and scored three touchdowns.
▪ Talolo Limu-Jones, WR, Eastern Washington: Limu-Jones was a touchdown machine at Eastern Washington. He started his career at tight end but transitioned to a playmaking wide receiver. This past season he had 71 catches for 1,122 yards and six touchdowns. He’s a walking mismatch who should make some big plays this weekend.
4) Undrafted quarterback Davis Cheek
He’s a long shot to make the roster but keep an eye on Elon quarterback Davis Cheek. The hometown kid played at Butler High in Charlotte. He started 40 games in five years at Elon, throwing for 8,548 yards, with 51 touchdowns.
Cheek grew up a Panthers fan and is having a dream realized by signing with Carolina. He missed the 2020-21 spring season due to a knee injury. This past season he was named to the 2021 All-Colonial Athletic Association second team.
With all the downfield playmaking receivers Carolina is bringing to rookie minicamp, Cheek should have opportunities to show off his powerful arm while proving he’s cleaned up his accuracy and throwing touch.
5) What about the defense?
The rookie defenders are going to have their hands full against the Panthers’ quarterbacks and receivers listed above. But Carolina spent half its draft capital on defense. Linebacker Brandon Smith, edge rusher Amare Barno and cornerback Kalon Barnes all possess athletic traits that stand out.
Those three rookies will join undrafted linebackers Khalan Tolson of Illinois, Boston College’s Isaiah Graham-Mobley and Fresno State’s Arron Mosby. Penn State safety Drew Hartlaub and Kentucky defensive tackle Marquan McCall will also be at rookie minicamp.
