Breakout 2025 Candidates

[shaq]

Who are your top three breakout candidates for next season? 
 

My three:

Jatavion Sanders- Simply put he is the best receiving TE we have had since Olsen. We all saw his potential over that three game stretch prior to his neck injury where he showed a real connection with Bryce. Good route runner with glue for hands, limited blocking upside but he gives solid effort. With Tremble already being hurt I don’t see a reason why he already isn’t our starter and clear future at TE.

Trevin Wallace- For a developmental LB forced into a starting role last year he  exceeded expectations. LB is one of the hardest positions to adjust to from college, and for a prospect who was widely regarded as very raw, surprisingly he was solid in coverage and only had an 11.9% missed tackle rate. He was overly aggressive consistently, and needs to work on his play recognition. But he is set up to be our best LB next season, and likely starter for years ahead. Even barring reaching his upside, his floor was clearly a lot higher than draft pundits assumed(Morgan can scout LBS).

Cade Mayes- I am hopeful Cade wins the starting job at C this season. He may have been our most improved player last season, he looked like an above average starting C after he took over for an injured Corbett. He allowed 0 sacks on 327 pass block snaps. Corbett can not stay healthy, and at this stage in his career Mayes is objectively the better player. Mayes is only 26 and gives us the potential of stability at C, something we have never had since Ryan Kalil retired. Corbett slots in as a great backup C/Guard, and Cade continues to develop and gain more chemistry with Bryce and our stud duo of Hunt/Lewis.

[mrcompletely11]

1, Sanders absolutely is going to blow up, period end of story.  I would bet just about anything on that.  

 

2. Wallace looked completely lost at times and his instincts didnt look fluid.  Could he break out, sure but I think he is more of a player that gets marginally better season after season not just turn into a full blown stud in year 2.  IE Shaq T

 

3.  Mayes is who he is, a grinder that seems to handle whatever position he plays with functionality.  He will probably never be elite and he probably will never out right suck.  Just more consistent and decent/solid play.   remember he was straight cut after last years training camp so something was going on between him and the staff

Edited 10 hours ago by mrcompletely11

[shaq]

23 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

1, Sanders absolutely is going to blow up, period end of story.  I would bet just about anything on that.  

 

2. Wallace looked completely lost at times and his instincts didnt look fluid.  Could he break out, sure but I think he is more of a player that gets marginally better season after season not just turn into a full blown stud in year 2.  IE Shaq T

 

3.  Mayes is who he is, a grinder that seems to handle whatever position he plays with functionality.  He will probably never be elite and he probably will never out right suck.  Just more consistent and decent/solid play.   remember he was straight cut after last years training camp so something was going on between him and the staff

Good points, I should have defined breakout better. I don’t mean necessarily become a star. For Trevin Wallace him breaking out would look like him being an average starting LB. And for Cade Mayes, it would look like him keeping the starting role and keeping up his production. 

[L-TownCat]

Coker:  the Udfa kid is a baller I expect a jump in splash plays for him as attention from the defense will be focused elsewhere.

Sanders:  agree with op, the guy is a big play waiting to happen and a nice security blanket for Bryce.

Legette:  his hard work over the offseason will payoff and he’ll make more plays than he misses.  The kid is a physical specimen.  
 

i hesitate to list defensive players because i think Evero and his scheme is butt.  I hope I’m wrong but I doubt it.  

[CanadianCat]

Ive been high on Wallace as well. I hope that Morgan is able to find these late round guys as Wallace as his star find. 

... as a Panthers fan, its hard not having ELITE LB's on the team!

[TD alt]

I'm gonna say Legette due to his willingness to work and improve. 

Secondly, I'll say Wallace because I just find it hard to believe that knowing our ex-LBs, the present GM included, it's hard for me to believe that we'd pick a bust. He showed some flashes, and he should have a better grip on his responsibilities. He believes he's ready 

Third: Sanders gets the spot by default. I don't know that Canales believes in TEs enough to help one turn into a star, but Sanders has some talent. He's going to have to deal with Tremble and the rookie though.

[Basbear]

Honestly the 2024 draft class(minus brooks).

All are in line to be starters, expect crumedy who's fighting for a 53. 

Still that class was looking terrible, is now looking like 4 starters and maybe 1 depth. Anytime you draft 2 starters and a key depth piece its a good draft. 4 starters are rare and that's with brooks who could have made 5 starters if not for awful luck. 

That draft also helped land starter Michael Jackson in a round about way, big bonus..