This was a big week for the Panthers rookies. They got strong performances from their top three draft picks in their win over the Cardinals.
Here is how the 2020 draft class performed on Sunday.
Jeremy Chinn, spy master
For the fourth-straight game, second-round pick Jeremy Chinn looked nothing like a rookie. He led the team with eight tackles and was given the awesome responsibility of spying Kyler Murray. Watch Chinn close down his running lanes, here.
Jeremy Chinn spying Murray behind a wonderfully disciplined pass rush. pic.twitter.com/nJNI70TfeQ
— John Ellis (@OnePantherPlace) October 4, 2020
Derrick Brown’s power flashes again
Carolina’s top-10 pick flashed his power against vs. Arizona. Watch him bully his way through Cole Mason and then drop Kenyan Drake for a loss.
That’s how it’s done Derrick Brown pic.twitter.com/ymoH7d4TcG
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) October 4, 2020
Brown is now up to five tackles for a loss this season.
Yetur Gross-Matos has his breakout game
The first few weeks of the season were forgettable for defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos. He struggled against the Raiders, then missed Week 2 and committed an awful penalty at the wrong time against the Chargers. Yesterday, he came through with some flashy plays.
Here he uses his speed to get by D.J. Humphries and then gets a strip/sack/fumble on Murray.
Yetur Gross-Matos has arrived… 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/g6EmvDHxLp
— Onward State (@OnwardState) October 4, 2020
Gross-Matos also showed surprising closing speed when he chased down Murray on a scramble earlier in the game.
Troy Pride Jr.’s run defense
Fourth-round pick Troy Pride Jr. made a couple of nice run stops in the red zone, including this one.
Quietly, Troy Pride, Jr., is doing a great job today stopping the underneath stuff and the run.
Big play here down near the goal line.#KeepPounding #AZvsCAR pic.twitter.com/SekWeHW8YM
— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌️ (@PanthersAnalyst) October 4, 2020
However, he gave up a touchdown in coverage moments later. The learning curve continues for No. 25.
As for the rest, Kenny Robinson is still on the practice squad and Bravvion Roy and Stantley Thomas-Oliver were inactive yesterday.
[lawrence-related id=629533]
[vertical-gallery id=629531]