4 toughest matchups for Troy Pride Jr. in 2020

There is plenty of pressure on Carolina Panthers draft pick Troy Pride Jr. heading into his rookie season, but what matchups will present the most problems?

Much will be expected of the Carolina Panthers draft pick Troy Pride Jr. during his first year with the franchise. The fourth-round pick is slated to be the No. 2 cornerback option providing the player does not suffer any complications during training camp.

The former Notre Dame speed demon could end up being a high-value selection if he reaches his ceiling. Pride Jr. does have to work on certain areas of his game such as tackling. But the Panthers draft ended up taking a player with enormous promise at a position of significant need.

Rookie cornerbacks do tend to struggle in their first few games in the pros. This is down in no small part to the increased level of quality regarding wide receivers across the league who punish errors much more than one normally sees in the college game.

This will be no different from Pride Jr., so it is essential that the Panthers manage him accordingly and keep his confidence high throughout what is a brutal series of matchups given the strength of opponent on Carolina’s schedule in 2020.

How the player responds will go a long way to determining whether Pride Jr. is going to make a success of his career at the next level. There is a slight chance Carolina brings in a veteran presence on the cheap to assist during a period of transition. But given their salary cap constraints, they might be forced to go with what they currently have.

Here are four matchups that might provide Pride Jr. with the most difficulty in 2020.