What can the Panthers expect from Keith Taylor Jr. in 2021?

What can the Carolina Panthers expect from their rookie cornerback Keith Taylor Jr. during his first taste of NFL life in 2021?

Getting stronger at cornerback was a top priority for the Carolina Panthers this offseason. Donte Jackson’s frustrating campaign due to injury in 2020 made things difficult for the group to generate any sort of consistency until it was too late, although what we saw from the LSU standout once his toe problem fully healed was highly encouraging.

The free-agent signing of A.J. Bouye should help once he returns from his two-game suspension. Carolina’s decision to select Jaycee Horn at No. 8 overall could have short and long-term benefits if the South Carolina product hits the ground running. But there is also another intriguing rookie that might also become a prominent member of the rotation providing his transition to the next level is a smooth one.

Despite acquiring Horn earlier in the draft, the Panthers took Keith Taylor Jr. in the fifth round at No. 166 overall. The Washington prospect certainly fits the mold to what Carolina is trying to build on defense, with the corner possessing the necessary athleticism, length, and physicality that can be of some use if there isn’t too much pressure put on him right away.

Taylor represented a high-value selection at this stage of the draft. Carolina also had the luxury of going with the best player available after some substantial trade movement by general manager Scott Fitterer that ended up with 11 selections at various stages, which the prospect certainly was at this juncture.

One area where Taylor particularly thrives is press coverage on the outside. This was an obvious problem for the Panthers in 2020 and something defensive coordinator Phil Snow went away from entirely at critical moments.

Adding Bouye, Taylor, and Horn to go with Jackson should instantly transform this.

Keith Taylor Jr. has some work to do with the Carolina Panthers.

Taylor does have some things he needs to work on, which is normally the case with a Day 3 selection. He doesn’t have what one would consider as top-end speed and although his strong tackling compensated for this at the college level, he might not be so lucky in the pros.

There is also the option of moving Taylor back to safety if things don’t work out. He certainly has the frame for it, but the Panthers are going to give him every chance to prove his worth before resorting to a contingency plan and shifting him to the backend.

What comes next will ultimately come down to Taylor and how he acclimatizes. He’ll get all he can handle during offseason workouts going up against Carolina’s superb weapons in the passing game. So how the defensive back copes will determine the time he gets on the field both during the preseason and when competitive action begins.

Much like the majority of Carolina’s 2021 draft class, the potential is high where Taylor is concerned. He impressed the coaching staff at the 2021 Senior Bowl enough to give him a chance and his attitude on and off the field will ensure maximum effort on every down and team drill.

If Taylor can make more of an impression as a rookie than many expect, it is yet another dynamic tool for Snow and the Panthers to utilize in their bid for further progression next season.