Dave Canales shares strong affirmation on Panthers' rookie Nic Scourton

It was one of the more surprising results of this young NFL season. The Carolina Panthers, the team with the worst defense in the league a year ago and a club off to a 0-2 start, hosted the Atlanta Falcons and sent them home with a 30-0 setback. It was the franchise’s first shutout since beating the Detroit Lions, 20-0, back in Week 11 of 2020.

One day after his team came up with its first victory of 2025, Panthers’ head coach Dave Canales fielded a question about the franchise’s rookie class. He had a lot of positive things to say, and had especially high praise for the team’s second-round pick in April.

In talking about Panthers’ rookies, Dave Canales says Nic Scourton “works his butt off at practice.” pic.twitter.com/RIEw9wbUBM
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 22, 2025

“I think that’s just kind of who I am,” said Nic Scourton (via Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com), “You know, I practice hard. You know I work hard too, because I feel like that’s where you get better, and that’s how it translates. Obviously, I mean it’s just, it’s a lot, the transition from the NFL to college is a lot, and I mean I’m just trying to keep those same habits and standards that I had in college that made me a good player, so I guess it’s kind of always been me.”

Panthers’ rookie OLB Nic Scourton has seen his playing time increase

In the Week 1 loss at Jacksonville, the former Texas A&M standout saw 18 snaps on defense, and five more on special teams. The following Sunday at Arizona, there were 22 plays on defense and four more on special teams. Scourton did log an assisted tackle in the 27-22 loss.

On Sunday vs. the rival Falcons, he made his first career start played 56 defensive snaps. In the first quarter, he came up with his first solo tackle and was also credited with one defensed pass.

Ejiro Evero’s defense has totaled only one sack in three games via rookie Princely Umanmielen. The Panthers face a Patriots’ team on Sunday that saw quarterback Drake Maye dropped five times by the Steelers’ defense. This may be a breakout week for the Carolina pass rush.

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