Ranking the 10 worst draft picks in Carolina Panthers franchise history
By Luke Gray
Cornhuskers . JASON PETER. 10. player. 810. . DE
Jason Peter – Former Carolina Panthers DE
- Drafted 14th overall in 1998 (Nebraska)
- 38 games played
- Retired 2001
A first-round pick who failed to make the grade was Jason Peter. The former Nebraska Cornhusker was drafted No. 14 overall in 1998, but the defensive end failed to live up to the heights of that lofty selection.
A consensus All-American in college, Peter failed to make an impact in the pros. He registered just 88 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks during his four years in the league, and the edge player did not start a game over his final two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
Another player whose career was blighted by injuries, the New Jersey native was forced to retire at the end of the 2001 season with a neck injury.
Peter has since gone on to be a high school football coach in California. The former player is also a radio presenter for his college alum in Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as releasing a book detailing his addiction to heroin, cocaine, pain killers, and alcohol.
In the draft that followed, the Panthers selected another defensive end in the first round by the name of Julius Peppers. This worked out much better, with the North Carolina product becoming one of the team’s greatest-ever players and a sure-fire Pro Football Hall of Famer when the time comes.