It is no secret that the Carolina Panthers' idea of defense in 2024 was using Elmer's glue to reattach the front bumper of your car. While it may hold up for a couple of seconds if you apply enough, in the end, it all falls apart.
Carolina should look heavily into defensive reinforcements during the 2025 NFL Draft. Nic Scourton would be amazing in a trade-back scenario.
The biggest weakness of Carolina's defense was the pass rush. The Panthers ranked dead last in pressure percentage at 25.5 and had 20 fewer pressures than the second-worst team with 150. Sadly, it does not stop there.
The run defense was just as bad, allowing 179.8 yards per game, 5.2 yards per carry, and 83 carries of 10 yards — all being the most allowed in the league.
In the first of a series of scouting reports leading up to the draft, we will discuss how the Texas A&M prospect can help fix that.
Nic Scourton 2025 Scouting Report
Notes
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 257 pounds
- Recruitment: 4-star prospect (high school and transfer)
Positives
- Polished pass rusher
- Strong with hands
- Good motor
- High-upside run defender
- Productive player
Scourton originally started his career at Purdue, where he was a dominant pass rusher in the Big 10. As a true freshman, he managed two sacks and two tackles for loss in a rotational role. The next year as a full-time starter he tallied 10 sacks, 15 TFLs, and 33 total tackles.
He gave the likes of Michigan and Ohio State fits with his sophisticated pass rush bag and athleticism. Scourton used very advanced moves like cross chops, speed to power bull rush, double clubs, and counter spin moves to frustrate offenses. His motor allowed him to keep pushing the pace and apply pressure to quarterbacks once they left the pocket and chase down plays from the backside.
His very heavy hands allowed him to control defenders in the run game with the ability to shed defenders easily or push them into the ball carrier. Scourton boasts powerful legs to hold his anchor when double-teamed. He showed much better run defense tape after transferring to Texas A&M where he played with his hand in the dirt a lot more and was asked to prioritize run defense.
His production did slip as a pass rusher, but he still was disruptive. Scourton led the Aggies in sacks with five, beating out fellow NFL Draft prospects Shemar Stewart and Shemar Turner playing next to him.
Negatives
- Much more explosive at Purdue in contrast to A&M
- Not much of a speed element to his game
- Needs to work on separation from blockers in run defense
- Motor questions
The first thing that had to be mentioned when speaking on Scourton’s weaknesses is his playing weight. He moved up to 270 pounds, lending more credence to his role being more focused on run defense. He looked like he lost a step on tape but was still a good athlete.
Teams must know he may lose some of his play strength after dropping to 257 pounds for the NFL Scouting Combine. However, his motor was much better at Texas A&M than at Purdue.
Sometimes at Purdue, he was not as ecstatic to chase down plays when quarterbacks escaped opposite of him. Would the Panthers be getting the motor he showed in the SEC or the Big 10 if Dan Morgan went in this direction?
At times he did not get enough separation from tackles or guards to make plays in the run while still being blocked. Scourton does have good length with 33-inch arms, so it is much more of a coaching point surrounding refining his technique and hand placement.
He is not a blazing-fast athlete. To thrive in run defense at the next level, Scourton will have to make sure his technique is consistent and his motor will need to stay as high as it was while playing at Texas A&M. While nowhere near perfect, there were few holes in his game.
Nic Scourton NFL Player Comparison: Trey Hendrickson
Trey Hendrickson, like Scourton, is an explosive pass-rusher who lacks elite-level speed. He uses his technique, strength, and bend to overwhelm opponents and has developed into one of the best game wreckers in the league with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hendrickson is also a stout run defender, but not perfect. The veteran posted a 65.9 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024 versus a 90.4 pass rush grade. Sound familiar?
I could see a world where Scourton may start slow like Hendrickson, maybe taking two years to fully break out before a team reaps the benefits on his second contract. I could also see him being a very productive secondary edge option immediately. Regardless of the path his development goes down, he will be worth a first-round pick.
Whether the Panthers take the plunge as part of Morgan's aggressive defensive makeover remains to be seen.