Takeaways from Panthers’ 2022 rookie minicamp
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The Carolina Panthers closed up shop on their 2022 installment of rookie minicamp this past weekend. And, let’s face it, it’s just rookie minicamp—so we aren’t getting any groundbreaking developments.
We did, however, get some interesting nuggets from the rookies themselves.
Here are the biggest takeaways from each member of the Panthers’ draft class, from the mouths of the members themselves.
OT Ikem Ekwonu
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
The left tackle, who was drafted to eventually become the franchise left tackle, got work at . . . left tackle.
“Well, I’m at left tackle right now. That’s where I’m working at during camp,” Ekwonu said when asked if the team has told him where they want him. “But Coach Camp [James Campen] knows and the whole staff knows I’m flexible. I’ll play wherever they wanna play me. But right now, I’m at left tackle. So I’m excited for it.”
QB Matt Corral
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
The starting quarterback job is up for grabs, but the third-rounder is focused on getting one percent better each day.
“All it comes down to is knowing the playbook,” Corral said of being ready. “If I can know the playbook, I’ma be ready to play. And as far as getting ready to be the starter—of course my mentality is to be a starter—but, right know, I’m trying to get on that 53-man roster.”
LB Brandon Smith
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
The Panthers are painfully thin at the linebacker position, specifically at the middle. Smith, however, may not be filling that role.
“Really, the Will linebacker position is what I’ve been mainly working at these past few days, as well as seeing myself in the future,” Smith said. “But overall, I’ve been making sure that I lock in on what everybody’s responsibility is.”
DE Amaré Barno
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
Barno, like Smith, is starting off his early work in Carolina with some familiarity.
“So right now, I’m learning the rush position,” he said. “And, I mean, my role is whatever they want me to do.”
And hopefully for the Panthers, that role and what he eventually does in it draws comparisons to a certain guy he looks up to.
“I’d say Von Miller,” Barno replied with a smile when asked if he models his game after any player. “Finesse rusher. He uses speed, too.”
OL Cade Mays
AP Photo/Darron Cummings
Mays—who is happy the Underwear Olympics, er, combine is over—believes his experience playing each position along the offensive line in college football’s toughest conference will help both him and the Panthers.
“I played all five in the SEC and I feel like—with the growth of my game in the last year, I’ve grown a lot—I feel like I can help this team wherever they put me. In any five spots.”
CB Kalon Barnes
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
Head coach Matt Rhule told reporters the team is currently training Barnes at the outside corner spot—something the seventh-round speedster is certainly up for.
“Right now, it’s just outside guy right now. Just learning the basics of everything,” he said of the minicamp activities. “We got a lot of guys. Everybody’s not gonna make the team. So everybody is trying to focus on one little thing. Then, I’m pretty sure once we get down that road, they’ll try to use me even more, I feel like.”
Barnes, who has already played under Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow at Baylor University, is also comfortable on the inside.
“I feel like I can play inside also. I actually learned a lot. I know the defense, the plays that we have installed these last two days. I know it really well, so I feel like I can play the nickel spot.”
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