Ranking the 10 best Carolina Panthers players under 25 years old in 2022

Yetur Gross-Matos – Carolina Panthers DL

After flashing enormous promise over his opening two seasons in the NFL, Yetur Gross-Matos enters the 2022 season as a potential breakout candidate. The Carolina Panthers will be asking much more from the defensive lineman after they let Haason Reddick walk in free agency, which should provide the former second-round pick with a long-awaited starting opportunity opposite Brian Burns on the edge.

Gross-Matos has already proven capable of generating pressure on a rotational role. What’s important for the Penn State product is putting it all together from higher up the depth chart.

Another area where Gross-Matos has shone on occasions is run stopping. This will be needed given the Panthers’ problems preventing substantial yardage from outside runs during the previous campaign.

There have been some frustrating moments from Gross-Matos’ point of view thanks to injuries and a spell on the COVID-19 list. But developments this offseason indicate a supreme level of confidence in the player to take a huge leap forward in Year 3.

If Gross-Matos copes well with these extra demands, it will give Carolina a big-time boost when needed most. Replicating the 11 sacks Reddick contributed in 2021 might be stretching things a little, but there’s plenty to like about the player emerging from a depth chart piece into a legitimate starter next time around.