NFL draft picks Lee Hunter, Sam Hecht set to rekindle Senior Bowl practice intensity at Panthers rookie minicamp
Carolina's brass will get its first look at its first-year players during the three-day event beginning Friday.
NFL draft picks Lee Hunter, Sam Hecht set to rekindle Senior Bowl practice intensity at Panthers rookie minicamp originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . If their battles during Senior Bowl practices are any indication, the interactions between NFL draft picks Lee Hunter and Sam Hecht should highlight the upcoming drill work during the Carolina Panthers ' rookie minicamp this week.
Lining up for a one-on-one encounter last January, Hecht, a former Kansas State center, displayed nimble footwork, power and athleticism to deny Hunter, an ex-Texas Tech nose guard, from generating pressure. Other offensive linemen in Mobile, Alabama, struggled to handle Hunter, who often worked his way into the backfield . Some analysts started debating whether Hunter deserved a first-round grade .
Against Hecht, though, Hunter was relatively contained. Will that trend continue when the Panthers' rookies report to Bank of America Stadium's practice fields Friday for a three-day minicamp? C Sam Hecht vs.
NG Lee Hunter could highlight Panthers rookie minicamp Hunter's Senior Bowl performance likely helped prompt Panthers general manager Dan Morgan to trade up in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft and select the 6-foot-3, 320-pounder with the No. 49 selection. Morgan envisions lining up the rookie run-stopper next to his NFL idol , Derrick Brown, and Tershawn Wharton/Bobby Brown II in the 3-4 base defense.