Former Clemson Tigers walk-on and two-time National Champion Hunter Renfrow is back on the field and turning heads at the Carolina Panthers' training camp, reminding fans and teammates just how dangerous he can be out of the slot.
His Pro-Bowl teammate Jaycee Horn has recently spread extremely high praise for the veteran receiver.
"[Hunter] Renfrow coming back, he's been impossible to guard out here, out of the slot. Those receivers have been making some plays. It's just the way [Renfrow] sets up routes." Horn told Up and Adams. "Even when you're off coverage, he makes everything. He might have an out route and make it look like an in-breaker route. He puts so many sticks, twists, and turns in his routes. Makes it very tough to cover, so I'm excited to see it."
The buzz around Renfrow comes after a long road back. He was released by the Las Vegas Raiders last offseason. He missed the entirety of the 2024 season, leading many to wonder if his playing days were over.
It was a surprising fall for a receiver who had posted career-highs and team-highs across the board just a few seasons prior in 2021, putting up 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns.
Unfortunately, we'd find out a while later that the former Clemson wideout had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which is a chronic bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the rectum and colon.
Due to this, he went through major sicknesses that would keep him bedridden for days, as well as having weight and overall health problems.
"It kicked my butt pretty good," Renfrow said, per the Panthers' team website. "Last year, I fluctuated in weight; I went down to 150 pounds. I had like seven straight days of 103-degree fevers. It's tough to play when you're not feeling great."
Following his absence from the league, many wondered if he'd ever return to the sport – but we've seen Renfrow go through tons of trials and tribulations in his career prior, so it wasn't out of the question.
Despite the uncertainty, Renfrow never gave up on football. The 5-foot-10 receiver signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers in early April.
Since then, he's taken his time getting back in shape and has now become a name to follow at Panthers Training Camp.
For Renfrow, this is more than just a return to football – it's a return to home. Born and raised in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and a graduate of Socastee High School, Renfrow is back near his home state. It's truly a full-circle moment for the 29-year-old.
While he's currently dealing with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss camp practice this past Wednesday, his performance has clearly made a strong impression on the fan base, staff, and teammates. His elusiveness and elite route-running – the exact qualities that helped him win Clemson's 2016 National Championship on a sticky sideline route – are still very much intact.
According to reports, Renfrow is in a good position to make the Panthers' 53-man roster and become one of the best route runners and slot receivers in the NFL again as he works his way back from his health scare and hamstring injury.
After a season lost to chronic illness, Hunter Renfrow is back – and once again, impossible to ignore.
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