The Carolina Panthers struck gold with wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan in the 2025 NFL Draft, but one analyst believes another member of that rookie class could have an even bigger impact on the team's success in 2026.
According to Brad Gagnon of The Bleacher Report, who surveyed all 32 rosters for each team's most critical sophomore, the Panthers' most important second-year player is edge rusher Nic Scourton, Carolina's second-round pick out of Texas A&M.
“There is little concern about top pick Tetairoa McMillan, but the hope is that Scourton—the team's second-rounder—can emerge with help from newcomer Jaelan Phillips on the edge. For what it's worth, the Texas A&M product flashed a bit late in his rookie campaign. This defense desperately needs more of that in support of Phillips.”
The logic here isn't complicated. McMillan is going to be fine — more than fine. The Panthers don't need to worry about him.
Nic Scourton's growth is crucial for Carolina Panthers' defensive evolution
The pass rush? That's a different story entirely.
No team in the NFL has fewer sacks than Carolina (89) dating back to 2023. And while the offense made a major leap in 2025, the defense remained a significant liability throughout the campaign, with pressure generation at the top of the list of concerns.
Scourton is one of the key pieces to fixing that.
Now, Scourton's rookie year wasn't a breakout. It was more of a quiet emergence in the second half.
He played in all 17 regular-season games, but six of his eight starts came in Carolina's final eight contests as he finished with 47 tackles, five sacks (tied for the team lead with Derrick Brown), one forced fumble, and nine quarterback hits, second on the team behind only Brown's 11.
That late-season flash is exactly what makes this offseason so critical. The most important development window for any NFL player is between Year 1 and Year 2. If Scourton has put in the work, he has a legitimate chance to hit the ground running in a way he simply couldn't as a rookie.
Carolina can survive if McMillan takes a modest step forward. They can't afford another year of a dead-last pass rush if they want to be taken seriously as a playoff contender.
Scourton is the X-factor. He's the player with the most room to grow, the most to prove, and the most impact to have on whether this defense takes a real step forward in 2026.
The Panthers are counting on it.
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