4 Carolina Panthers rookies who need to shine most at minicamp

Keith Taylor Jr. – Carolina Panthers CB

One notable takeaway from the Carolina Panthers’ draft was their intent to get themselves more in the way of talent who were capable of improving press coverage. Jaycee Horn should immediately help in this regard and if Keith Taylor Jr. can also transition smoothly to the pros, it would help enormously.

Taylor has plenty of likable traits that made him a potential high-value selection in Round 5. The former Washington standout is a strong cover cornerback and although he doesn’t possess the top-end speed normally associated with productive NFL players at the position, the prospect is technically sound and athletic enough to make his presence felt.

However, Taylor will need to refine some areas of his game – and quickly – over the next few months if he wants to earn a prominent spot on the rotation.

His tackling needs to get better and anticipating routes is also something to work on. So it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world if the player eventually moved back to safety if things don’t progress as expected.

There is a lot to like about the skills Taylor brings to the table, even though he might still be a work in progress in certain aspects. He could also be a little rusty having played just three Pac-12 games in 2020 due to COVID-19, but he won’t be alone there with many top prospects across the league opting out from the campaign entirely.