3 Panthers rookies not named Bryce Young who could steal a job in training camp
- A shot to start up front?
- A receiver who should get his opportunity
- A raw quarterback destroyer
By Ryan Heckman
![Panthers, Jonathan Mingo Panthers, Jonathan Mingo](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4740,h_2666,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/92/01h5nx5njy5qq2ppg9r7.jpg)
3. D.J. Johnson, EDGE
Carolina traded up to draft Oregon pass rusher D.J. Johnson in the third round, and some questioned whether or not it was a worthy move. But, the fact of the matter is, Johnson's ceiling is high. His flashes and athletic traits made him a tantalizing prospect coming out of college.
At the moment, the Panthers have Brian Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos at outside linebacker and Deshawn Williams playing defensive end. Burns is locked and loaded as a starter, so Johnson would have to ultimately supplant either Gross-Matos or Williams.
Williams stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 260 pounds, so he's kind of between a linebacker and defensive end. At this stage, he might fit better taking over Gross-Matos' spot if he earned it. At the same time, if he's asked to step back into coverage, we'll have a problem.
Will he fit better at defensive end or outside linebacker? Training camp will likely answer that question for us. Johnson is extremely raw and a little on the lighter side, but the offseason is where he can work on adding healthy weight and honing in on technique.
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