Carolina Panthers Draft: Troy Pride brings more speed on defense

The Carolina Panthers continue to focus on defense in the 2020 NFL Draft as cornerback Troy Pride will inject speed, youth, and aggression into their secondary.

Wow, the Carolina Panthers mean business when it comes to bolstering their defense in the 2020 NFL Draft. In Round 4 of this year’s draft, the Panthers drafted cornerback Troy Pride out of Notre Dame to bring speed and aggression into a secondary that has yet to find its identity.

At 5-11 and 193 pounds, Pride is all about speed and making his presence felt every single time he steps foot on the field. At four years playing for the Fighting Irish, Pride totaled 121 tackles, four interceptions, and 18 passes defended. If there is anything to know about Pride is that he was considering one of the fastest defensive backs in this year’s draft class.

Besides what he achieved on the gridiron, Pride also made a name for himself as a sprinter on the track team which undoubtedly helped add a unique dimension to his game. He’s the kind of player the Panthers can rely on to get the job done against some of the speedy wide receivers they’ll face in the NFC South. Always known to be a tackling machine, Pride enjoys adjusting in the heat of the moment to always be in a position to make a play for his team.

Troy Pride brings speed to the Carolina Panthers defense

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With all the speed that Pride brings to the table, it’s a great sight to see the Panthers heavily addressing their defense in this year’s draft. The truth of the matter is, over the last few seasons their defense wasn’t worth talking about.

As they focused on their defensive line and now secondary with their first four draft picks, these are the kinds of moves to help their rebuild head in the right direction. It’s no secret that the NFL is a passing league and without having a quality pass rush or a secondary that can keep up, you’ll always be on the outside looking in.

At least now with Pride ready to add some quality depth at cornerback this upcoming season, he can easily be eased into a starting role rotation to capitalize on his speed. Pride will more than likely be used in zone defensive situations as he gets used to life in the pros.

Overall, the Panthers are on the right track and with three picks left in this year’s draft at this point in time, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them use more on defensive players. At the rate they’re going, it’s expected that their defense will finally be formidable over the next few years. If their offense performs well after a much-needed overhaul this offseason, the Panthers will undoubtedly be a team on the rise sooner rather than later.

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