The Carolina Panthers' fourth-round pick, promising cornerback Will Lee III, is already lining up with the first team in multiple spots. This sort of versatility might be the real story of the team's offseason.
Two-time Pro Bowl corner Jaycee Horn admitted he was wary of the rookie at first, not because of talent, but because of how quiet Lee was in a defensive backs room known for its personality. Then he heard the blanket story.
Lee got his "The Blanket" nickname at Texas A&M for his coverage skills, after reportedly sending an Aggies blanket to Missouri receiver Theo Wease the night before a matchup in 2024, with a note daring him to "get used to" it.Â
Will Lee III looks primed for a bigger-than-expected role with the Carolina Panthers
The defensive back shut Wease down to two catches as the Aggies blew out the Tigers 41-10. He's denied sending it. The legend stuck anyway, and it changed how Horn saw him.
"That made me change my whole mindset about him when I heard that story," Horn said. "He's definitely a baller, though. The confidence he plays with. The swag he plays with."
That swag has come with substance.
Lee has rotated through reps on the outside, in the slot, and even allowed Horn to bump inside while the first-year pro handled boundary coverage. Head coach Dave Canales has noticed the same growth, crediting his work with defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley for speeding up his technique.
"We're asking him to do a lot," Canales said. "He's done a great job so far... he's really progressed that way."
Lee has leaned on both Horn and Mike Jackson Sr. as mentors, picking up press technique and off-man coverage instincts to the field. That dual education matters, because Jackson's long-term future in Carolina is far from settled.
Jackson, who tied for the NFL lead in pass breakups, is entering the final year of his contract. He'll turn 30 before hitting free agency in 2027, and Carolina has already committed big money to linebacker Devin Lloyd, edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, defensive lineman Derrick Brown, and a Horn extension worth $25 million annually.
Paying two corners north of $20 million a year isn't realistic with quarterback Bryce Young's extension also looming. That math is exactly why Lee's fast start matters. The early offseason reps suggest the Panthers are banking on it too.
If this keeps up, Lee won't just be Jackson's eventual replacement. He'll be a Week 1 factor in his own right.
Add us as a preferred source on Google