NFL insider predicts Panthers Round 2 pick will be faster, more dynamic than college

Nic Scourton could be even better in the NFL than he was in college.

Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Nic Scourton (11) reacts during the second quarter against the LSU Tigers. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23; at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

In 2024, Nic Scourton played at around 285 pounds. He bulked up, and it might've cost him a little bit. The Carolina Panthers selected him in the second round anyway, and he's already gotten into much better shape. He's more in line with the shape he was in when he led the Big 10 in sacks in 2023 with Purdue.

One Panthers analyst believes that will translate to the NFL level and could make him even better. Scourton was considered a borderline first-round pick, and the Panthers landed him with the 51st pick after a small trade up.

From today's Access #Panthers newsletter: An excerpt on Nic Scourton from the "Three Things I Think" section, which enters your inbox every Monday morning during the offseason (and Monday and Saturday during the regular season).

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Panthers beat reporter Mike Kaye said, "At just 20, Scourton comes to town with 17 sacks on his college resume, and he's just undergone a significant body transform - from 285 pounds to 257 in roughly eight months - that should make him faster and more dynamic than he was at the college level."

Kaye also noted that Scourton named Brandon Graham on draft night as someone he wanted to emulate. Graham was a terrific edge rusher who stopped the run really well for the Philadelphia Eagles, and that's something Kaye believes might make Scourton "an indispensible asset" for Carolina's defense.

Either way, the Panthers may have benefitted from Scourton's weight-induced slide and lack of performance in his final collegiate season, but he's ready to prove them right and could end up being the steal of the draft.

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