Dan Morgan had a low first-round grade on edge rusher Nic Scourton heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. When the promising edge rusher was still available within touching distance in the second round, the general manager didn't hesitate to get aggressive and secure his services.
One NFL analyst believes Scourton should be starting for Ejiro Evero's historically bad defense right out of the gate.
The Panthers swapped four picks with the Denver Broncos to go up and take Scourton at No. 51 overall. He's got all the physical tools one looks for in productive NFL pass-rushers, but some technical refinement is needed before confidence in his chances increases.
That said, there is a lot to work with.
Scourton is an explosive force coming off the edge. He's got the length to hold firm against the run and a speed-to-power move capable of making opposing offensive linemen extremely uncomfortable. Once he learns more counter moves and refines his ability to create leverage effectively, the Panthers could have an exceptional player on their hands.
NFL Draft analyst wants Carolina Panthers to start Nic Scourton immediately
This was a sentiment echoed by Dame Parson from The Bleacher Report. The NFL Draft analyst thought big things were in Scourton's future. He also urged the Panthers to let him loose from a starting capacity immediately to bolster what was a lackluster pass rush overall in 2024.
"[Nic] Scourton was the No. 36 overall player on our scouting department's predraft big board, so the Panthers got great value on him from that perspective. The 20-year-old has good arm length to attack offensive tackles with the long arm and/or by converting speed to power. Given his age, strength, quickness and upside, Scourton should receive plenty of opportunities to fire off and pressure quarterbacks as a rookie. Carolina's defense needs a reliable playmaker on third downs to force the opposing offense off the field and give third-year quarterback Bryce Young more opportunities to score."Dame Parson
The Panthers will have a plan in place for Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. They'll get a crash course in what it takes to succeed in the pros when preparations for the upcoming campaign gather pace. Going up against Carolina's dominant offensive line during the summer will see to that. If the coaching staff is suitably satisfied, it could upend their plans to bring the rookie duo along gradually.
Scourton cementing one of the starting edge-rushing spots quicker than expected represents a win-win for the Panthers. That will probably have a ripple effect, but it's a small price to pay for progress.
There is no room for sentiment. The best players will play, and previous status won't factor much into the team's thought process. If Scourton outperforms some established figures and inspires enough confidence, the Panthers should throw him in at the deep end to see how he fares.
And who knows, it might be the making of him.