6 prospects on defense the Panthers should watch at 2022 Senior Bowl

Leon O’Neal Jr. – S (Texas A&M)

Although Jeremy Chinn’s switch back to the safety position brought another 100-tackle campaign, there is a real possibility that the Carolina Panthers move the Southern Illinois product back to an outside linebacker in 2022 – a position which he starred as a rookie.

If the Panthers do end up making such a switch, then finding additional help on the backend surges up their priorities. This bears even more significance when one considers that Sean Chandler and Juston Burris are out of contract and debatable to return.

Perhaps a free-agent target would provide more immediate help. But someone like Leon O’Neal Jr. is a talented college possibility that comes with a dynamic set of attributes.

O’Neal anticipates things extremely well and is also an elusive threat with the ball in his hands. The defensive back has proven efficient in coverage both in zone and man throughout his time at Texas A&M, playing with an aggressiveness that’s sure to go down well in the pros.

There are some things O’Neal needs to work on – most notably finishing off plays a little better and getting off blocks effectively in open space and when tasked with coming down to the second level.

That being said, there is a lot to like about O’Neal, who has the size, length, and physicality to really make a name for himself in the NFL providing he finds the right fit.