There were very few success stories regarding draft picks made by the Carolina Panthers under previous regimes before general manager Dan Morgan took charge. This bears more significance a little further down the pecking order, which always separates the contending teams from the also-rans.
Some selections that didn't work out in Carolina have carved out careers for themselves elsewhere. Others are finding it much harder, which also includes one unheralded Day 3 pick who was recently sent packing just a few short days into training camp elsewhere.
The Detroit Lions announced they had parted ways with veteran cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, who was taken by the Panthers in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He lasted three years in Carolina but never firmly established himself. And now, his aspirations look bleaker than ever.
Carolina Panthers draft pick Stantley Thomas-Oliver III faces an increasingly bleak future
Thomas-Oliver flashed brief moments of promise and also shone on special teams, but nowhere near enough to convince those in power at the time that he was worth keeping around. After going to injured reserve to start the 2023 season, the Panthers released him.
The former Florida International standout landed on the New York Giants practice squad before joining the Lions. Thomas-Oliver suited up once in 2024 for the NFC juggernaut, but getting a reserve/futures contract once the campaign concluded suggested they saw something in the player that could become something more.
Unfortunately for Thomas-Oliver, he didn't do enough to seize the moment. Going to the non-football injury list represented another devastating blow. The NFL is a cutthroat business, and the defensive back paid a heavy price.
It doesn't take long for the league to look elsewhere when chances run out. Thomas-Oliver will wait for the phone to ring, but it would be surprising if he caught on at this stage.
There are other ways to get noticed these days, which provides some solace. The UFL and CFL are only too happy to take on NFL players who haven't quite made the grade. If Thomas-Oliver goes down this route and can stay healthy, he could catch the eye enough to get another shot in the pros.
There's just no telling for sure right now. But until Thomas-Oliver fights off the injury bug, he'll always be fighting a losing battle.