53 Men: DE Stephen Weatherly Player Profile
DE Stephen Weatherly
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 265 lbs
College: Vanderbilt
NFL stats: 67 tackles, 13 TFL, 17 QB Hits, 6 sacks
Depth Chart Projection: Starter
Despite being a backup/reserve player for the majority of his career, I really think Weatherly is ready to assume a starting role. He's not going to be an ultra-productive guy, but he has the ability and the skills to be one of the eleven starters on the defensive side of the ball. The Panthers don't have much depth on the edge, so this should be a given considering he has experience over the others.
Analysis:
Weatherly isn't your typical defensive end. He'll line up inside, outside, stand up off the edge, drop in coverage (if needed), he ca do a little bit of everything. He's a versatile guy that Phil Snow will be able to move around, but don't look for him to post double-digit sacks numbers. He's going to be a quality defender and solid tackler, but has a ways to go before he can be considered a serious threat off the edge.
53-Man Roster Status: Lock
I'd almost go as far as saying Weatherly is a "lock" to start, but I'm not quite comfortable in that just yet. Yetur Gross-Matos is a heck of a prospect that will ultimately takeover at some point, but I think as of right now, Weatherly's job is safe.
Previous "53 Men" projections
No. 18 OG Michael Schofield III
What type of season do you expect from Stephen Weatherly? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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