Once again, Jimmy Lake and his staff are putting a defensive back in the NFL who’s ready to start from day one. The Panthers have decided to slot Keith Taylor into a situation where he’s going to have that opportunity to step up as a rookie. With a relatively thin defensive backfield, a strong summer camp could propel Taylor into the starting lineup in Week One.
Taylor, like all Husky defensive backs, can slot into any system, but his best fit is as a press-man corner. At 6’2, with his long arms, it’s nearly impossible for any receiver to get a clean release off of him at the line of scrimmage. And with receivers like Calvin Ridley, Mike Evans, and Michael Thomas in his division, he’s going to find plenty of challenges on the outside.
The Panthers are trying to rebuild their secondary, and are proving it by investing two picks in cornerbacks, after selecting Jaycee Horn out of South Carolina eighth overall. Adding these two to a group that already has safety Jeremy Chinn, 2020’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, is an excellent decision on Carolina’s part.
Fit Grade: B
This is a great pick for the Panthers. Taylor slots in very well to their defensive scheme, and he’s going to provide an immediate boost to a lackluster passing defense. He has the size to cover big receivers outside the hashes, and can even provide some support against tight ends in man coverage.
One of the biggest benefits of the 6’3 Taylor is that Carolina can slide Donte Jackson, one of the fastest corners in the league, into the slot where he can truly use his athleticism to the best of his ability.
Taylor is a step in the right direction for the Panthers, who have made major strides defensively over the last two years. He’ll have some tough matchups in his division, and while he didn’t see a lot of targets come his way in college, he’ll have a chance to prove himself in the NFL against some of the best quarterbacks and receivers in the league.
