4 Panthers players who could benefit most from strong 2021 NFL Draft

Jeremy Chinn – Carolina Panthers S/OLB

One of the big positive takeaways from the 2020 season was the impact made by Jeremy Chinn. The Carolina Panthers took a big risk by moving back into the second round in order to bring the athletic Southern Illinois standout to the organization, which already looks like a shrewd bit of business judging by his phenomenal rookie campaign.

Chinn wasted no time in making his presence felt after winning the starting outside linebacker job opposite Shaq Thompson. He was an absolute revelation at the second level that went through its fair share of struggles following the retirement of Luke Kuechly. This saw the player emerge as a leading candidate for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year before it eventually went to Chase Young.

Just what the Panthers are going to do with Chinn during his sophomore season is up for debate. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow reportedly wants to move him back to his preferred position of safety following the release of Tre Boston and Juston Burris going through his fair share of complications after arriving from the Cleveland Browns in free agency.

Should the Panthers slot Chinn on the backend, then getting a starting cornerback and a long-term partner is essential. This would allow the second-year-pro to focus more on the middle of the field and even coming down to the line of scrimmage in a similar fashion to what we’ve seen plenty from Harrison Smith with the Minnesota Vikings.

It’s important to maximize Chinn’s impact by not tying him down to one rigid position. The player is at his best when he is reacting to the moment rather than worrying about a specific task.