Ranking the 5 most intimidating Panthers players in franchise history

Julius Peppers – Former Carolina Panthers DE

• 2002-09, 2017-18

He might not be the most outspoken player, but Julius Peppers was a force to be reckoned with during his prime with the Carolina Panthers. The No. 2 overall selection in 2002 quickly became one of the most dominant players in the NFL thanks to his size, athleticism, and toughness on almost every snap.

Peppers helped make Carolina contenders with his dominating play and he made offensive tackles have their work cut out for them. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, the North Carolina product was extremely scary.

His quiet persona made him a bit underrated when it came to intimidating players, which makes his play speak that much more for itself. Even after Peppers left the Panthers and spent a few years with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, he continued his prolific play before returning to Carolina for the last two years of his career.

No matter how good of a player you were, lining up against Peppers was no easy task.

For his size and weight, it’s quite remarkable what the defensive end accomplished in his career and how agile he remained. Peppers also played for the Tar Heels basketball team in college.

Imagine someone that big and strong coming at you on a basketball court? Yikes.

He ranks fourth all-time in sacks and remains one of the best, if not the best defensive players in Panthers history.