After a disappointing 2022-23 NFL season, the Panthers underwent a roster and staff overhaul. With new faces across the board, it’s difficult to pinpoint who will shine in Carolina. With a completely new coaching staff, the door is wide open for players to jump into a prominent role. Focusing on that, here are three Panthers with breakout potential heading into next season.
The Panthers took “Ickey” Ekwonu with the sixth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Three offensive tackles went inside the first 10 picks of that draft, and the Panthers were the first to take one off the board. Despite having the option to grab Evan Neal, the tackle from Alabama, Carolina opted to keep Ekwonu in-state.
Ekwonu grew up in Charlotte and eventually attended NC State. He’s commonly known for being nice off the field and angry on it. His violent play-style has actually earned him a reputation as the “pancake king.” At NC State, when a lineman “pancake” blocks a pass-rusher (knocks them flat on their back), they are rewarded with a bottle of syrup. In just two years, Ekwonu accumulated 154 of those bottles.
He continued to impress once he reached the NFL, being regarded as one of the best rookie lineman in the league. He not only started every game of his first NFL season, but he played every offensive snap.
Many believe he can make the jump in his sophomore year to become one of the best tackles in the entire league. The Panthers need him to do just that, as he’ll be protecting their rookie quarterback.
One year prior to drafting Ekwonu, the Panthers selected Jaycee Horn with the eighth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Jaycee’s father, Joe, was a divisional rival for years as a Pro Bowl receiver for the Saints. Now the “Horn” name is back in the NFC South, and it hasn’t disappointed thus far.
Jaycee Horn shined early on in his rookie year, but it was cut short due to a foot injury suffered in week three. He returned in 2022 and put up some of the best pass coverage numbers in the league when he was healthy. Horn did miss time once again though, being sidelined for four games due to a rib injury.
He’s now through two full seasons, but has only appeared in 16 games. The bright side is that he’s been stellar in those games. According to Pro Football Focus, he had an opponent passer rating of just 52.6 last season when targeted. That’s good enough for second-best among all defensive backs, only trailing former Panther James Bradberry.
The only thing that seems to be preventing Horn from becoming a household name is bad luck with injuries. He’s currently recovering once again, as a foot and ankle injury sustained during the offseason will have him out for some time. Should he return by the start of the season and stay healthy, he could join the growing list of Pro Bowlers from his draft class.
The next time the Panthers were on the clock after the selection of Horn, they picked Terrace Marshall Jr. out of LSU. Marshall racked up 23 touchdowns and over 1,500 receiving yards in his time with the Tigers.
Since being the 59th overall pick, he has yet to make much noise as a pro. Through two seasons in Carolina, he’s started 12 games and caught 45 passes for 628 yards and one touchdown. This is all expected to change next year.
For the first time in years, the Panthers are without a clear top wide receiver. In the same trade where they sent away DJ Moore, who previously held that role, they brought in a potential franchise quarterback. This combination bodes well for Marshall, as he has the opportunity to establish himself with a new signal-caller.
Coaches have raved about him over the course of the offseason, indicating he could take over as a dominant force on the offense. The Panthers’ wide receiver room is stacked with talented guys who could step into the spotlight as Bryce Young’s favorite target. If Marshall can show more consistent glimpses of his high potential, he could end up flourishing in year three.
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Featured image courtesy of the Carolina Panthers.
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