The Carolina Panthers' pass rush wasn’t up to par. General manager Dan Morgan plans to rectify that at some stage during the offseason.
For the third season in a row, Carolina finished in the bottom five in both sacks and pressures, and Morgan is well aware of it.
"We had the second-lowest pressure rate in the league this year. Obviously, that is not acceptable. If you’re not protecting the quarterback and you’re not affecting the quarterback, you’re not going to win many games in this league — especially at a consistent level."Dan Morgan
Morgan has stated multiple times this offseason that he plans to attack this team’s needs aggressively. It’s obvious the pass rush sits at the top of that list.
Nadame Tucker boasts the pass-rushing prowess to help Carolina Panthers long-term
I previously argued that the Panthers should look to add a proven veteran to line up next to Nic Scourton. The problem? Two players won’t save this defense.
While in Mobile for Senior Bowl practices, I made a point of focusing on pass rushers who could help Carolina get to the quarterback and who could potentially still be available outside the first two rounds. Thanks to Western Michigan, there is the perfect candidate.
Edge prospect Nadame Tucker was someone I was only briefly familiar with before making the trip to Mobile, but I was still caught off guard by just how explosive and dominant he was as a pass rusher. Once you understand his journey, it makes sense why he flew under the radar.
Tucker was a zero-star high school prospect in the 2019 recruiting class. He went on to play two seasons at Independence Community College, famously known as the setting for seasons three and four of the Netflix series Last Chance U. He then transferred to Hutchinson Community College for a year before committing to Houston.
After three seasons without seeing the field, Tucker transferred to Western Michigan, where he finally earned a starting role.
That first and only on-field action at the Division I level produced explosive results. Tucker posted 14.5 sacks, 61 pressures, and 21 tackles for loss, earning MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and conference MVP.
In Mobile, Tucker had the opportunity to prove he belonged — and he did exactly that. He was explosive off the edge with an excellent first step, but what really stood out was his ability to corner his rush. His ankle and hip flexibility were on full display during team drills, where he racked up multiple sacks.
His counter moves were just as impressive, showing the ability to cross the face of tackles who overset, or run straight through them when they exposed their chest, planting them firmly on their backs. Speed and explosiveness were the foundation of Tucker's game.
In my eyes, he was the best edge rusher in Mobile. Tucker backed that up in Saturday’s game with two sacks, including a strip sack of Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green.
If Morgan opts to add a veteran next to Scourton, pairing that move with the addition of Tucker would be a dream scenario.
It allows Scourton to continue developing as a No. 1 option, with Princely Umanmielen serving as a designated pass rusher alongside Tucker. The Panthers need fast cars off the edge. In Mobile, the prospect was a Ferrari.