5 best first-round NFL Draft picks in Carolina Panthers history
By Noah Bryce
Julius Peppers – Former Carolina Panthers DE
- No. 2 overall (2002)
Julius Peppers’ career can be summed up in one simple term, wrecking ball. After being selected No. 2 overall in 2002, he saw red and never looked back en route to a surefire Pro Football Hall of Fame career.
During his first stint with the Carolina Panthers, Peppers had a truly ridiculous stretch of productivity. The standout defensive end was selected to five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in only eight years. All while totaling an incredible 81 sacks over that span.
It didn’t matter what teams did or that they knew exactly who they needed to contain, it seemed like that only made Peppers play better. Double teams, running back support, no matter what was thrown his way he could find a way through it.
Following successful stints with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay, Peppers came back to the Panthers for the 2017 and 2018 seasons in which, even at almost 40 years old, he totaled 16 sacks and played in every game. A testament to just how skilled he truly was.
Peppers ended his career with 159.5 career sacks, placing him at No. 4 all-time and only a truly heartbreaking .5 behind a tie with Kevin Greene for third. He was truly a Carolina great and a player the likes of which we won’t see again for a long time.
While Peppers may not have spent his entire career with the Panthers, there was no doubt where he truly felt at home. The sack master was and always will be a Panther.