4 battles to watch closely at Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp

Keith Taylor Jr. vs. Shi Smith

This will be another battle that should be exciting to watch.

Keith Taylor Jr. and Shi Smith were both taken on Day 3 by the Carolina Panthers to provide extra depth at their respective positions. But a productive offseason period could see them become important pieces in 2021 and beyond.

Taylor’s ability to handle press coverage efficiently is something that could assist the Panthers, who struggled in this area last year as they failed to get off the field consistently on third down. The Washington product is still a little naive when it comes to route anticipation at times, but he has all the athleticism and length to become a productive pro with a little more refinement.

The cornerback is sure to get all he can handle from Smith, who is an efficient route-runner from the slot who can make things happen at the drop of a hat. His production in front of Carolina’s coaching staff at the 2021 Senior Bowl certainly left a mark and if the South Carolina product can do the same at the next level, the Panthers could have yet another steal on their hands.

How Smith copes with Taylor’s physical approach at the line of scrimmage will be significant. The wideout will be one of the more vocal at rookie minicamp judging by his college career, but he’ll need to back this up with an eye-catching display.