Some good reads on rookies!!

[Doc LRB]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/panthers-rookie-review-rb-trevor-130112709.html

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/panthers-rookie-preview-dl-cam-123044609.html

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/panthers-rookie-preview-wr-tetairoa-140058696.html

[Captain Morgan]

man one guy we drafted I was pretty happy to get, but I haven't heard one word about him...TE Mitchell Evans.  Is he hurt?

[Mistuh Jones]

No I read he's been pretty steady 

[TD alt]

The articles were worth the read, if only that they give hope (which is what they're for I guess), but the one on Etienne and Ransom, as well as the one on Cam Jackson were somewhat more informative from a technical standpoint I'm thinking. The one on McMillan was more like, "McMillan is a unicorn," without actually saying it. 

Here's my take:

Etienne is certainly an NFL-caliber back. He has starting potential in him if the situation arises. I've seen him aplenty and I think that he's a faster, shiftier, albeit a smaller version of Chuba Hubbard with decidedly better hands. He is a legit threat to take it to the house if he gets through the initial levels of contact.

Ransom needs to hone his craft and play with consistency. Expect solid play, especially against runs, but expect bad angles and whiffs due to over-pursuit. If he can get it all together, he'll be a helluva run stopper. His pass coverage will probably be suspect among the greater talent in the NFL, but If he can be average then he'll likely be above average in his entirety overall.

Jackson needs development. He's got "good bones" however, not so much as a pass rusher (I suspect that he just doesn't have the feet to do it), but he can become an anchor in the middle against the run, and take up space (even on double teams), if he learns to consistently keep his pad level down. 

McMillan was highly productive in college for more multiple seasons (which is new for Panthers fans). McMillan is not some project that we hope can turn into a WR1, he is the real deal. He has the "bones" of a unicorn, but will he ever be one remains to be seen. In my estimation, in the grand scheme of things, McMillan's floor is relatively high due to his flypaper hands, size, and underappreciated speed. What may also be underappreciated is his smarts and instincts while in coverage. So, yeah, he has a high floor, but an even higher ceiling. He makes contested catches on the regular, but he also gets YAC on the regular as well. His versatility serms understated. If he can polish up the route running and consistently get open, the sky is the limit.

On paper this is a really good draft class.

 

Thank God for PFF! 

[TD alt]

2 hours ago, Captain Morgan said:

man one guy we drafted I was pretty happy to get, but I haven't heard one word about him...TE Mitchell Evans.  Is he hurt?

Well, funny you should mention him. Here is an article, kinda hot off the presses, but it's not from Yahoo but Panthers Wire. It's within the same vein as the others, but is a little more detailed

https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2025/08/02/panthers-rookie-preview-te-mitchell-evans/84147296007/

To answer your question though, Evans is not hurt, but obviously going under the radar. He had a solid mini camp, and is likely just learning his position without the spectre of great expectations. I suspect he'll make his mark once the preseason games begin.

 

 

[MHS831]

A lotta people compare TEs to those pass catchers who get 1000 yards receiving.  We have a potentially great WR room (we are better, from top to bottom at WR than we have ever been, in my view) and we have RB horses and the OL to run the ball--which will be our priority.  We have a pass-catching TE and a solid and improving Tremble--I doubt Evans is more than a dependable hybrid TE 

 

 

[Johnstonny]

I godda admit...I don't know sht about this team anymore...I hope I'm surprised game one. We always look good on paper...

[Basbear]

26 minutes ago, Johnstonny said:

I godda admit...I don't know sht about this team anymore...I hope I'm surprised game one. We always look good on paper...

 

Bro, this year its worth re-learning, trust. They may not win 7, but this season will be worth watching unlike the past two. I have never had as much trouble watching football as the past 2 years, just soul crushing. If its the same slop, bump this thread and Ill send you video of my ex-lover stomping on my jewels...

[mc52beast]

I feel like this year( barring horrible injuries) that this team will be competitive in most if not all their games. We have the best wr room I remember us ever having, we have one of the best o-lines in the game and a stable of rb’s who know how to run. Add an improving Sanders at TE with a steady if not spectacular Tremble and all we need is for Bryce to continue his ascension.

Look at our d-line, like night and day from last year. We actually have some hogs up front who won’t be pushed around. Not sure what to expect from our young pass rushers, excited to see them in preseason games. Linebacker is definitely a question mark, hopefully Wallace and Rozeboom can be at least average. Corner looks to be solid with Horn and Jackson, safety not sure about. 
 

This season might not end up with a playoff berth but teams will notice us, and not because we suck.

[Doc LRB]

I know what you are saying about not knowing this team.  If not for fanitsy football don't think would have watched many games.  Yea,that last half of last season gave me Hope,then Dan had the best draft class of NFL saying some talking heads other ones C but I choose to Beleive.  Go Panthers!!!

[TD alt]

36 minutes ago, mc52beast said:

I feel like this year( barring horrible injuries) that this team will be competitive in most if not all their games. We have the best wr room I remember us ever having, we have one of the best o-lines in the game and a stable of rb’s who know how to run. Add an improving Sanders at TE with a steady if not spectacular Tremble and all we need is for Bryce to continue his ascension.

Look at our d-line, like night and day from last year. We actually have some hogs up front who won’t be pushed around. Not sure what to expect from our young pass rushers, excited to see them in preseason games. Linebacker is definitely a question mark, hopefully Wallace and Rozeboom can be at least average. Corner looks to be solid with Horn and Jackson, safety not sure about. 
 

This season might not end up with a playoff berth but teams will notice us, and not because we suck.

I think that you're rightfully hopeful, and I generally feel more sure about the offensive skill positions than I do about anything else other than maybe the O-line, but...I'm not yet convinced that Bryce is a top half-of-the-league QB, much less worth what we divvied up to get him. I'm hopeful, but less hopeful. Hell, I'm downright nervous, and that's not the place I want to be after two seasons. In two months from now if Bryce hasn't assuaged most of my fear, my legit hope for the remainder of this season and beyond will be gone. 

I love the thought of the D-line, but behind the D-line has many many questions, and we need depth. Call me cynical, but other than Horn, who has a history of injury, I can't say that we don't have anything but second stringers masquerading as starters. In other words, these guys are going to have to prove to me that they can not only run with the big dogs, but be the big dogs. We should have that answer fairly quickly once the live bullets start flying.

But, don't get me wrong, I'm generally open-minded about the team in general this time of year, and this year I could be even downright positive and optimistic. 

[Mistuh Jones]

I like Evans because he's the first all around TE we've had in a minute with his willingness to BLOCK as well as good routes and hands

[tukafan21]

17 hours ago, TD alt said:

 

McMillan was highly productive in college for more multiple seasons (which is new for Panthers fans). McMillan is not some project that we hope can turn into a WR1, he is the real deal. He has the "bones" of a unicorn, but will he ever be one remains to be seen. In my estimation, in the grand scheme of things, McMillan's floor is relatively high due to his flypaper hands, size, and underappreciated speed. What may also be underappreciated is his smarts and instincts while in coverage. So, yeah, he has a high floor, but an even higher ceiling. He makes contested catches on the regular, but he also gets YAC on the regular as well. His versatility serms understated. If he can polish up the route running and consistently get open, the sky is the limit.

 

This was one of the things I was always saying pre-draft, that his floor is like 20-25th best WR in the league if he never improves from what he already is with his size, hands, and catch radius.  But his ceiling if he puts it all together is a yearly Top 10 WR who will legitimately be in discussion as a top 5 WR as well.

This is why he was always the pick for me, you can't get WRs like that in FA, you have to draft them or give up a stupid amount of draft capital in a trade and then give them a huge contract on top, like Tyreek with the Dolphins.