4 battles to watch closely at Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp
By Dean Jones
Which battles are worth keeping a close eye on when the Carolina Panthers open rookie minicamp later this week?
The dust has now firmly settled on the 2021 NFL Draft and incoming college recruits are turning their attentions to making a name for themselves at rookie minicamp. The Carolina Panthers got their hands on 16 prospects with 11 selections and undrafted free-agent signings, meaning there should be plenty of competition from May 14-17 as players get their first taste of an NFL environment.
Carolina will be counting on some of their college recruits to stamp their authority from the word go. Others will get more freedom to develop before potentially becoming an important part of the rotation, so there is a lot to play for in the weeks and months ahead before the Panthers get back down to business on the gridiron.
Having an offseason with far less disruption than last year will obviously help. There will also be preseason games to further enable first-year players to adjust, which the 2020 class did not get thanks to some serious COVID-19 concerns at the time.
All this should stand them in good stead, of that there is little doubt. Here are four battles worth monitoring during rookie minicamp in Carolina.
Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp battles to watch
Battle No. 1
Chuba Hubbard vs. Paddy Fisher
Running back Chuba Hubbard should see plenty of undrafted free-agent Paddy Fisher during team drills. The linebacker generated a formidable reputation during his time at Northwestern and although this wasn’t enough to hear his name called, there is a chance for the player to make the 53-man roster within a positional group that isn’t blessed with much depth.
Hubbard will have no such trouble earning a spot and is set to be Christian McCaffrey’s understudy during his rookie campaign. The Oklahoma State product needs to do a better job of absorbing contact at the next level, so it will be interesting to see how he copes with a heavy-hitter like Fisher when the pair collide.
It’s the little things that make a big difference at this stage.
The intensity of practice in Carolina has increased significantly since Matt Rhule was appointed. So it could be a baptism of fire for rookie players like Hubbard and Fisher if they are not fully ready to go.