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The next Steve Smith?

hepcat

By hepcat,
in Carolina Panthers

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hepcat Grand Master

hepcat

Posted
Posted

As Panther fans, we all know Steve Smith is one of the best players to ever play in the NFL. He has single handedly won more games for the Panthers than you can count on your hands. But he turned 30 this year, an age that tends to mark the effects of aging catching up with an NFL reciever. While he definently has a few great years left, my question is, is there a reciever, in college or in the NFL right now, with the potential to be the next Steve Smith? It's hard to say, but I think Desean Jackson of the Eagles is very close to the same mold as Smith. Undersized, but with blistering speed and a chip on his shoulder. He had a great first season, despite making some rookie mistakes. I know Smith is a one and only, but just for fun, I like to compare players that might be the "next" one.

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OneBadassCat Newbie

OneBadassCat

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hard to say. personally i think k. moore has the potential to develop into a starter. and his mentor is steve smith.

True but I'm not sure if Moore has the raw talent that Desaun Jackson or Steve Smith have in terms speed and accelerating.

I think Yamon Figurs is a Smitty clone physically but he doesn't cut it as a WR.

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Peppers90 NC Community Regular

Peppers90 NC

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Jackson is a good comparison to Smith. As far as the Panthers are concerned they need to address the receiver position in the next year or so because they do not have any one with the skill set of Smith on the team right now.

When I watched him the other night, I saw a lil Smitty in him, they play very similar. Jackson is further advanced than SMith at this point, but still has a ways to go to catch up. Have to see him go up way in the air and take balls from defenders, which is one thing that makes Smith Smith and not S Moss.

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Captroop Grand Master

Captroop

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I think the next Steve Smith, and it pains me to say this, is in Tampa Bay. Sammie Stroughter. He's a rookie wide receiver out of Oregon State. I've been keeping an eye on him ever since I saw him making circus catches in a Matt Moore highlight tape. He's small and lightning fast, and a special teams return ace. He returned a punt for a touchdown last week. Sound familiar?

But he is a late round pick and has a season-ending injury blemishing his college record. And there is a chance he won't stick, or gets released in a few years. If so, I pray that we grab him.

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XxDeputyxX Newbie

XxDeputyxX

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TO is 35 years old and still plays at a very high level. This is a premature thread if I've ever seen one.

I agree with this ^^. But to answer the question. I don't think there will ever be another Steve Smith. I think he'll go down in history of the types as John Elway, Emmit Smith and Reggie White. Dont' get me wrong, they'll be plenty of great players that'll come through and may show some flashes of Steve Smith, but I don't believe anyone will be classified as "another Steve Smith".

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OneBadassCat Newbie

OneBadassCat

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TO is 35 years old and still plays at a very high level. This is a premature thread if I've ever seen one.

I agree. Lets not factor Smith's age until he starts to show it. Hell Galloway is a speed demon was effective well into his 30's. But I don't think there will be another S. Smith. There will be people as fast as him, maybe be faster and there will be guys that are his height and weight, but no one plays the game like Smith does. When Smith catches the ball he becomes a RB like a bat out of hell and will not go down at all costs. No one but him does that. He is a hell of blocker as well and is extremely loyal to this franchise. The combination of will, raw speed, elusiveness, great hands, and clutch play making ability make Smith truly unique.

The man can score nearly at will as we have seen over the years(The punt return for a TD in the 05 NFCCG comes to mind). Lets respect that his ability cannot be easily replaced, if at all.

But I do believe that there will be Smitty light versions around the league, actually plenty of those are around. However I guess we can all hope that K. Moores become the next S. Smith after all he has the opportunity to learn from the best himself. But it would take a tremendous amount of work. He would have to get faster. But the tools are there for him already to be a good WR.

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    • hepcat
      The NFL seems to be intent on killing the Panthers season this weekend, per the ref assignment

      By hepcat · Posted

      The referee assigned to this game is Shawn Smith. This is a critical data point for betting purposes because his crew has one of the most distinct, long-term statistical biases in the NFL. "Road Team" Bias: Historically, Shawn Smith is known as the "Road Team Referee." In a league where home teams usually win ~55% of the time, home teams in Smith's games have historically won at a rate far below league average (often hovering around 40-42%). Against The Spread (ATS): The trend is even starker here. Home teams have covered the spread at a rate of roughly 37-40% in his career. The Mechanism: Analysis shows his crew tends to call a higher rate of False Start and Unnecessary Roughness penalties on the Home Team. This negates the traditional home-field advantage (crowd noise causing false starts for the visitors). Impact on This Game: This specific assignment heavily favors the Buccaneers (Road Team). If you believe the referee influences the game, Smith's presence suggests the Panthers will struggle to get "home cooking" calls and may face untimely procedural flags that stall drives. The Panthers have only had Shawn Smith officiate four home games since he became a head referee in 2018, and they are all losses. Date Opponent Result Score Nov 24, 2024 vs. Kansas City Chiefs Loss 27–30 Oct 9, 2022 vs. San Francisco 49ers Loss 15–37 Dec 12, 2021 vs. Atlanta Falcons Loss 21–29 Nov 25, 2018 vs. Seattle Seahawks Loss 27–30 Considering the how rare it is for Shawn Smith to officiate a Panthers game at all, this seems like an odd time to assign him to a Panthers game, unless the NFL wants to kill the Panthers season once and for all.  The Panthers' offensive line situation creates a "perfect storm" for referee Shawn Smith's specific tendency to call False Starts on the home team. The "Carousel" Factor (Communication Vulnerability) The most damning stat for the Panthers' offensive line in 2025 is their lack of continuity. The Stat: By Week 13, the Panthers had already fielded their 10th different offensive line combination. The Impact: False starts are often "communication penalties"—they happen when a guard doesn't hear the center's snap count or a tackle anticipates the wrong cadence. A unit that hasn't played together struggles with non-verbal communication. The Shawn Smith Multiplier: Shawn Smith’s crew calls False Starts at a high rate on home teams. He will likely look for flinches on the exterior of the line. A disjointed line that is constantly rotating players (due to the injuries of starters like Cade Mays and the illness issues with Robert Hunt earlier this season) is "fresh meat" for this specific referee bias. The Specific Culprits (2025 Penalties) Ikem Ekwonu (LT): Leads the team with 4 False Start penalties this season. He is the most frequent violator on the line. Taylor Moton (RT): Has been flagged for 3 False Starts. The Trap: Smith’s crew often focuses on the tackles (the players furthest from the ball) jumping early to get an edge on speed rushers. Since Ekwonu struggles with this discipline naturally, having a referee who hunts for it is a massive disadvantage. The "Managed Outcome" Synthesis The "Bucs Cover" Script: If the desired outcome is a Buccaneers win to solidify their playoff standing, the officials simply have to apply the letter of the law. Calling strict False Starts on a confused, banged-up Panthers O-line will consistently put them in "3rd and Long" situations, killing their drives and allowing the Bucs (-3.5) to cover easily. The "Close Game" Script: If the desired outcome is "Week 18 Drama" (keeping the division tied), look for the officials to ignore the Panthers' twitchy tackles. If Ekwonu jumps a split-second early and no flag is thrown, it effectively neutralizes the Bucs' pass rush, allowing the Panthers to keep the score close. Summary of the Edge Vulnerability: Extreme. The Panthers are playing backup interior linemen (like Jake Curhan or practice squad call-ups) next to jumpy tackles. Betting Implication: This strongly reinforces the Bucs -3 or -3.5 play. The combination of a "Road Team Referee" and a "Home Team O-Line in chaos" suggests the Panthers will beat themselves with procedural penalties. Based on the collision of the hard data (Referee bias + Offensive Line injuries) and the soft narratives ("Managed Outcomes"), here is the definitive recommendation. If you have to place a single Moneyline bet to win this game straight up: The Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-165) While the "Entertainment Script" hints at a Panthers upset to keep the division messy, the structural disadvantage the Panthers face in this specific matchup is too massive to ignore. Here is why the Buccaneers are the stong moneyline play: 1. The "Shawn Smith" Road-Field Advantage This is the decisive factor. In the NFL, Home Field Advantage usually accounts for about 1.5 to 2 points of value. The Reality: Referee Shawn Smith negates that advantage entirely. His crew calls penalties in a way that historically suppresses home crowd momentum (False Starts, holding). The Result: You are essentially getting the Buccaneers on a neutral field (or even a "pseudo-home" field) against a team with a worse roster. 2. The "Drive-Killer" Synergy To win as an underdog, the Panthers need to play a clean, mistake-free game to keep drives alive. The combination of Panthers' 10th O-Line combo + Jump-prone Tackles (Ekwonu) + A Referee who hunts False Starts is a recipe for disaster. The Scenario: Expect the Panthers to face multiple "1st and 15" or "3rd and 12" situations due to procedural flags. These drive-killers will force them to punt or settle for field goals, while the Bucs' offense (led by Mayfield) stays on schedule. 3. The "TV Product" Counter-Argument You asked about the "Managed Outcome." While a Panthers win creates "chaos," the NFL also values Star Power in the playoffs. Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers are a proven national TV draw with recent playoff history. If the league has to choose between "Chaos" (Panthers) and "Ratings/Legitimacy" (Bucs), the "Script" likely leans toward ensuring the Buccaneers—the more marketable team—secure the division lead. They won't "fix" the game against the Panthers, but they won't intervene to save them from their own penalties. Final Verdict Betting on the Panthers requires you to hope for a miracle 4th-quarter collapse. Betting on the Buccaneers requires you to trust that a superior roster—aided by a favorable officiating crew—will control the game for the first 45 minutes. Take the Buccaneers Moneyline. The "Safe" money is on the Ref. The Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win and Cover Projected Score: Buccaneers 27, Panthers 17 The Bet: Buccaneers -3 (or Moneyline -165) Confidence Level: High on the Winner; Moderate on the Spread (due to potential "garbage time" variance).
    • kungfoodude
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      By kungfoodude · Posted

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    • kungfoodude
      Panthers Leaders in Missed Tackles

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