The Panthers finally broke into the win column yesterday with an upset victory on the road over the Chargers. They wouldn’t have gotten there without some solid play from their 2020 rookie class.
Here’s a review of how the kids did this week.
DT Derrick Brown
After committing two horrible penalties on third down against the Buccaneers last week, Brown rebounded against LA. He was a disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line, totaling three tackles for a loss.
One of Derrick Brown’s 3 TFLs pic.twitter.com/RZCCpRuIfA
— The 4 Man Rush (@4ourmanrush) September 28, 2020
Fans should expect Brown to continue making rookie mistakes from time to time, but his power is clearly going to prove a problem for a lot of pro offensive linemen.
LB Jeremy Chinn
While things have gone up-and-down for the team’s top-10 pick this year so far, Chinn has been consistent every game. Against the Chargers, he posted 12 combined tackles, finishing second on the team for the third consecutive week. His instincts and range are serving him very well.
Jeremy Chinn blows up the bubble screen pic.twitter.com/hYOwMbnGCp
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) September 27, 2020
This is what we call a tackling machine. For Chinn to be playing this well at this point with no rookie camp and no preseason games to prepare is a great sign of things to come for him.
DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Carolina’s other second-round pick isn’t adjusting to life in the NFL quite so well. In his debut against the Raiders, he made a few glaring errors in run defense and missed last week after getting poked in the eye. On Sunday he returned and once again drew attention for the wrong reasons. He committed a facemask penalty on Justin Herbert at the worst possible time, extending a potential game-winning drive for LA. Gross-Matos totaled two tackles.
CB Troy Pride Jr.
Fourth-round cornerback Troy Pride Jr. also had a big yikes moment late in the game against the Chargers. He fell down on this play while trying to cover Keenan Allen. Fortunately, Tre Boston broke up the pass in the end zone that could have cost the Panthers the game.
Wow. #Panthers dodge a bullet here. CB Troy Pride, Jr., falls on the play leaving to a 1-on-1 of Keenan Allen vs. Tre Boston, who breaks up the pass.@TreBos10 literally saves the game here.#KeepPounding #CARvsLAC pic.twitter.com/gayBQfmk1b
— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌️ (@PanthersAnalyst) September 27, 2020
Pride did make a nice play as a gunner, though. We will probably mostly be seeing him on special teams once Eli Apple is activated from injured reserve this week.
The rest didn’t make much of an impression, but seventh-round pick Stantley Thomas-Oliver was active for the first time this season.
