Some Good, Some Bad: The Panthers' History of 2nd Round Receivers

A look at each wide receiver the Carolina Panthers have selected in the NFL Draft.

With everyone projecting a wide receiver to the Panthers in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, I figured we’d take a look back at the history of Carolina’s second round receiver selections. 

It’s a mixed bag, to be honest. Some really good, some really bad, and some in between.

Muhsin Muhammad (1996)

This guy didn’t turn out too bad, right? "Moose" was a two-time Pro Bowler and was named an All-Pro in 2004 after posting a career-high 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns. He spent two stints with the Panthers, totaling 11 years and walked away as one of the best to ever put on a Panther uniform. He currently ranks second in franchise history in receptions (696), yards (9,255), and touchdowns (50) - all placing behind Steve Smith Sr. 

Keary Colbert (2004)

Colbert had a strong rookie campaign in Carolina, hauling in 47 receptions for 754 yards and five touchdowns. After that? It all went downhill. Colbert saw his role diminish and a knee injury essentially prevented him from getting back to the type of production he had as a rook. He spent the 2008 season hopping around the league, playing for Denver, Seattle, and Detroit. He then moved on to the UFL for a couple of seasons before returning to the league in 2011 with the Chiefs. He’s now the wide receivers coach for the Broncos.

Dwayne Jarrett (2007)

There were reasonably high expectations for Jarrett, who was a two-time All-American at USC. In his three years as a Trojan, he logged 216 catches for 3,138 yards and 41 touchdowns. That success never translated to the NFL. He appeared in 32 total games for Carolina, making 35 catches for 428 yards and one touchdown. 

Curtis Samuel (2017)

Samuel had some issues with drops early in his career and it looked like he would never be anything more than a depth piece. In 2020, he had his breakout season with Teddy Bridgewater throwing him the ball, pulling in 77 receptions for 851 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 200 yards and two touchdowns in the run game. His catch percentage jumped up just 79.4% which is still the highest mark he’s had in his seven-year career. Following the 2020 season, he signed with Washington, reuniting with Ron Rivera. He had to overcome some injuries early on, but put up solid production in his final two years with the club going over 600 yards and four touchdowns each year. He’s now with the Buffalo Bills.

Terrace Marshall Jr. (2021)

One of the greatest offenses in college football history featured Terrace Marshall Jr. Now, he was teammates with Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, so he certainly benefitted from their presence. Since landing in Carolina, he’s battled injuries, coaching changes, and poor quarterback play. The 2024 season feels like a make-or-break year for him in Charlotte.

Jonathan Mingo (2023)

Mingo had an up and down rookie season, but it’s hard to really knock him for everything he experienced. Frank Reich and Thomas Brown tossed the play-calling duties back and forth before Reich was dismissed and at that point, it was just about getting to the end of the season. It’s way too early to write Mingo off, but he has to find a way to be more consistent.