4 players the Panthers wish they would have drafted in 2020
By Dean Jones
Antoine Winfield Jr. – S
- Second round – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Carolina Panthers pick – Yetur Gross-Matos
Antoine Winfield Jr. is a bad dude.
The second-round pick is a ferocious safety who is built in a similar mold to his Pro Bowl father – Antoine Snr – and his rookie efforts might just come with an NFC Championship and a Super Bowl berth if the Buccaneers can shock the Packers this weekend.
The former Minnesota standout came into the league with a big reputation and is proving worthy of such lofty expectations. Winfield is a supreme run stopper when he gets down to the second level and his ability to anticipate in coverage is another exceptional part of his game that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Winfield has the brightest of futures in the game. And although the Carolina Panthers did take a stud rookie safety of their own in Jeremy Chinn, he might just be suited to outside linebacker moving forward if his efforts this season are any indication.
Chinn was an absolute revelation from the moment he stepped on the field, providing the sort of energy that sees him primed to be a leading contender for the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Carolina didn’t bomb out with their first second-round pick by any stretch of the imagination. Yetur Gross-Matos showed flashes of brilliance despite suffering injury and COVID-19 problems which will hopefully come with even better numbers with more responsibility on his shoulders in 2021.