5 Panthers players to watch closely in preseason game vs. Ravens
By Luke Gray
Daviyon Nixon – Carolina Panthers DT
Someone who has impressed in camp so far is Daviyon Nixon. This concluded over the past week with the fifth-rounder out of Iowa ending the joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens in style.
The rookie secured two interceptions during Thursday’s session. However, this isn’t new to the defensive tackle, who also managed a defensive touchdown during a highlight-reel play with the Hawkeyes that went viral thanks to a jaw-dropping euro-step en route to the end zone.
Nixon was named a starter against Indy last week, registering 1.5 tackles as a result of his efforts. Early signs are that he may be a steal for the Carolina Panthers on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
After being projected by some to go in the second round, some teams cited issues with his character and this saw him drop until the 158th pick. The early signs are positive and the word from camp gives no indication of these “character issues” that plagued Nixon’s draft buildup will amount to anything at the next level.
It will be interesting to see how Nixon is utilized against the Ravens. Whether he’ll see any time with the first-team unit is unclear, but he should be able to make his presence felt at some stage during the contest.