The Carolina Panthers officially released cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III with an injury settlement on Friday. The 25-year-old defender was on the practice squad’s injured reserve list.
A holdover from the Matt Rhule regime, Thomas-Oliver was a seventh-round pick of the Panthers in the 2020 NFL draft. Prior to his selection, the Tallahassee, Fla. native spent four years at Florida International University—where he recorded 94 total tackles (seven for a loss), 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and nine passes defensed over 43 games.
Thomas-Oliver appeared in 10 games during his rookie campaign for Carolina, playing 108 of his 182 snaps on special teams. He saw a bit more work in his sophomore season, amassing 235 total snaps (215 on special teams) in 12 games.
The six-foot, 190-pounder then went on to play just three games in 2022 before being placed on injured reserve. He was cut during the team’s move to their initial 53-man roster this summer and later signed back as a member of the practice squad.
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