Phil Hoskins – Carolina Panthers DT
Although it was the briefest of contributions from Phil Hoskins in 2021, the former seventh-round selection certainly caught the eye. Providing there is some further development in the coming weeks, a surge up the defensive tackle depth chart is not out of the question by any stretch.
Little was expected of Hoskins coming out of Kentucky. However, he did enough to earn a 53-man roster spot and maximized his short time on the field later on in the campaign.
This was a big step in the right direction for Hoskins. But securing more reps next time around will be complicated despite the Carolina Panthers letting DaQuan Jones walk to sign for the Buffalo Bills in free agency.
Derrick Brown remains the top dog, Matt Ioannidis was signed and has a previous connection to Matt Rhule, Daviyon Nixon’s return to health is a massive boost, and Bravvion Roy is another that will be fighting hard to cement his status.
Overcoming the odds is nothing new for Hoskins. He now has one year of NFL experience to call upon and extra momentum after featuring down the stretch, but hitting the ground running will be absolutely crucial for the player in pursuit of a bigger role when competitive action begins once again.