Carolina Panthers Draft: Stantley Thomas-Olive will be a project player
With their final 2020 NFL Draft pick, the Carolina Panthers took a flier on cornerback Stantley Thomas-Olive as he’ll be a project player who might be worth developing.
That’s right Carolina Panthers fans, the team just made draft history by using all seven of their 2020 NFL Draft picks on defensive players. Right off the bat, the Panthers have addressed many issues on their defensive line and secondary. This infusion of young defensive talent is a great sight to see as now the focus shifts towards getting everyone ready for the task at hand, including a project player worth developing.
In Round 7, the Panthers took a flier on cornerback Stantley Thomas-Olive as he’s a project player that has experience mostly as a wide receiver that recently converted into a cornerback. If it’s one thing new head coach Matt Rhule loves is taking a chance on “positionless” players that can contribute in multiple ways to the team.
This is the kind of player the Panthers are getting with Thomas-Olive as he’s going to need some time before everything comes together. Luckily, the Panthers aren’t in any rush to throw him into a starting position anytime soon as they’ll likely see what he’s able to handle if he makes it past training camp.
Stantley Thomas-Olive will be a project player for the Carolina Panthers
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Could he be a wide receiver? Cornerback? Safety? Maybe even a kickoff and/or punt returner? Your guess is as good as mine but at 6-0 and 192lbs, Thomas-Olive has the raw talent needed to be a decent football player used mostly on special teams.
He seems to pick up defensive assignments well but needs help with overall execution and the finer techniques of being an all-around defensive back.
It’ll be an area of opportunity for him to be able to excel in being tight with his assignments and not letting the mental aspect of the positional group get to him. In the grand scheme of things, it’ll be interesting to see how he does given this golden opportunity.
If anything, the Panthers could use Thomas-Olive in a hybrid role, mostly on special teams, as he’s developed to take the next step. He will have to work harder than most during training camp to earn his spot on the final roster but the potential is there.
Overall, the Panthers know that if anything, Thomas-Olive has a good head on his shoulders and is coachable. If he can work on the little things in his arsenal or maybe even consider a main position change to make his name known via special teams, the Panthers would welcome such a player that’s willing to do whatever it takes to help his team.