The two edge rushers the Panthers took on Day 2 of the draft this year, second-rounder Nic Scourton and third-rounder Princely Umanmielen, played in their NFL debuts on Sunday against the Jaguars. It was both a quiet and educational experience for both of them. Umanmielen got just eight snaps on defense.
“I don’t think I got one-on-one once. I think I got chipped every single play I was in there, so I didn’t really get to completely feel the speed,” Umanmielen joked via the team website. “I know, the ball was getting out really fast, like the quarterback was making reads faster than I’m used to in college, but as a whole, I think I did an OK job, but I still have room to improve.”
Scourton played 18 snaps but was similarly quiet, as the Panthers as a whole recorded hardly any pressures in Week 1. Panthers HC Dave Canales, who’s said this week he wants more snaps for the younger players, said he wants Scourton to play with less tentativeness.
“High-energy, but definitely feeling his way through it,” Canales said. “I have a picture of him when he’s at his confident and fast as best, and for me, when he was out there, he was kind of like a little bit measured and then (he goes). So the challenge for Nic is just to go make the play full speed, the mistakes full speed, and we’ll correct it from there. And that’s been his calling card, that’s the style that he plays with, going back to his college film and what I’ve seen throughout camp. Now, play with that kind of tenacity.”
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