The Carolina Panthers only took four safeties through to their 53-man roster. That was somewhat surprising, but it outlined the supreme faith in two young players who look set for important roles within Ejiro Evero's schematic concepts.
This bears more significance for surging rookie safety Lathan Ransom, whose hype is skyrocketing at the best possible time with Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the immediate horizon.
The Panthers thought they had a steal on their hands when Ransom was available at No. 122 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He's built momentum quickly, establishing himself as a potential long-term piece of Carolina's plans. Some sections of the fan base are even clamoring for the Ohio State product to start alongside Tre'von Moehrig right out of the gate.
Lathan Ransom is forcing the Carolina Panthers' hand en route to early involvement
Dave Canales said no decision had been made on that front as yet. Dalton Wasserman from Pro Football Focus is among those who believe that even if Ransom doesn't get the start in Week 1, it won't be much longer before he's seeing the field often after a standout preseason.
"Carolina ended last season with the league’s lowest-graded defense and second-lowest-graded safety unit. Fourth-round pick Lathan Ransom could remedy both of those issues early in the season. The former Ohio State Buckeye earned an 83.9 PFF overall grade this preseason and intercepted a pass in the team’s final game. He also led all FBS safeties with a 93.7 PFF run-defense grade last season, which should help improve the Panthers’ previously porous run defense. Even if he isn’t declared a Week 1 starter, Ransom is a versatile player who should see the field often."Dalton Wasserman
It's not hard to see why the Panthers became enamored with Ransom. He plays with urgency and is almost always around the action. The rookie looks like he belongs, and there is a physicality to his overall mindset that instantly saw him become a fan favorite.
Ransom's encouraging performances in the preseason did nothing to diminish the hype. The Panthers will take things step by step with the first-year pro, but there's a growing sense that he could be ready for bigger responsibilities than anyone anticipated upon joining the franchise.
The Panthers believe Nick Scott could offer something, but his recent regression doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Demani Richardson has a far better outlook after flashing as an undrafted rookie. That takes the heat off Rsansom to a certain extent. Still, he's an ambitious player coming off a national championship in college who wants to make his presence felt immediately.
Giving the defensive back some rotational reps and making him a special-teams focus could be the strategy over the opening few weeks of the campaign. But don't be surprised if Ransom's starting timeline moves forward quickly if everything keeps trending up.