Princely Umanmielen came into the Carolina Panthers as a raw, dynamic edge rusher who could be anything with some extra development. But with fellow 2025 draft pick Nic Scourton out for the year with a torn ACL sustained on the first day of training camp, more was required.
While it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, Umanmielen is growing up before our very eyes.
The Ole Miss product is learning to keep his emotions in check a lot better these days. He's a high-energy player who can sometimes be too eager to make plays. Umanmielen's problems center on discipline, especially against the run, but his Sunday Night Football performance was arguably his best outing by a considerable margin.
Princely Umanmielen is showing growth as the Carolina Panthers demand more
And it could have gone the other way.
When Umanmielen was in a spin early, perhaps with nerves taking over on the prime-time stage, head coach Dave Canales didn't miss it. He took the player aside, urged him to take a breath, and slow down his thought process for the rest of the way.
It had the desired effect.
Umanmielen was a significant force in pass-rushing situations. More importantly, his gap discipline against the run improved significantly, which was imperative with Jahmyr Gibbs on the opposite side of the field.
It wasn't a complete performance. It was as close as Umanmielen has gotten since entering the league as a third-round pick last year.
And with additional improvements expected after the bye week, Umanmielen is an important piece of Carolina's defensive puzzle.
Princely Umanmielen will be a key player for the Carolina Panthers after their bye
This was the opportunity Umanmielen is confident he can seize. There is a long way to go and more work ahead, but the player is benefiting from added responsibilities in the wake of Scourton's injury.
The results are showing.
Umanmielen has three sacks and 14 pressures through three games, in 46 percent of Carolina's defensive snaps. He's got four run stops, which isn't great, but it's a step in the right direction. Patrick Jones II is also there to pick up the slack, but with big-money signing Jaelan Phillips suffering a hamstring injury against the Lions, a bigger role could be in the offing.
Canales should feel a little more confident about that possibility after Umanmielen's showing on prime time. He's got the length and athleticism to be a real force against the run, and after playing with more control in Week 4, that is now the standard he's set for himself.
There will be ups and downs. Umanmielen is only 24, so there is still room for a lot of growth. He was always going to be a work in progress, but the strides being made should be the start of things to come.
The Panthers will be counting upon Umanmielen more than ever after the bye week. He's never lacked self-confidence. But now, he's producing to back it up.
Let's hope this is a trend that continues long into the future.
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