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
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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