5 young Panthers players who have turned it on at camp
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers Player No. 3: Yetur Gross-Matos (EDGE)
More than a few eyebrows were raised when Yetur Gross-Matos fell out of the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The former Penn State standout enjoyed a phenomenal college career with the Nittany Lions. And the edge rusher has made an impressive start to life with the Carolina Panthers.
Gross-Matos has been showcasing his impressive physical attributes to full effect during training camp. This has even seen the player occupy a starting defensive end role ahead of Stephen Weatherly in recent days. But whether this is something that is going to continue when the Panthers take the field in Week 1 remains to be seen.
Either way one looks at it, it is hard not to like the sort of effort and talent Gross-Matos has displayed so far. Carolina wasted no time in making him the No. 38 overall pick after he fell into their laps. And general manager Marty Hurney was so keen on the player he even contemplated trading back into the first round to acquire him.
His explosiveness off the edge is something that is going to be prominent from the moment he takes his first professional snap. The Panthers have the option to use him either as a defensive end of as an outside linebacker in pass-rushing situations, and Gross-Matos deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the way he has applied himself so far.