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Panthers RB Brandon Wegher proving he belongs in NFL

By Sayre Bedinger

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Carolina Panthers rookie running back Brandon Wegher’s NFL journey has been well-documented here at NFL Mocks. We spoke with him a couple of times over the course of the offseason, and we tried to tell you this guy was going to be good.

Maybe you believed us, and maybe you didn’t.

Whatever the case, Wegher has put together an impressive pair of preseason games thus far for the Carolina Panthers. Or, as Ron Rivera put it:

This has been a great start to an NFL career for Wegher, who has received a modest number of touches, but like he did at Iowa and at Morningside College, when he touches the ball he’s a threat to score every time. In fact, Wegher scored the go-ahead touchdown on Saturday night for the Panthers, and also scored the last touchdown in a comeback win in the first week of preseason play. The nation is taking notice…

When I talked to a prominent NFL draft analyst prior to the draft if he heard any buzz on Brandon Wegher before the draft, to say there wasn’t any would have been a vast understatement. We tried to create some hype for him here at NFL Mocks, but talking to his agent after the draft, it almost seemed like an opportunity might not come.

The Panthers came calling, and now they are talking about not being able to cut this guy because he’s provided such electric plays already. His nine-yard touchdown run against the Dolphins on Saturday was quite impressive…

His four-yard, go-ahead TD wasn’t too shabby either.

And in case you missed it, Wegher’s 42-yard catch and run in week one against Buffalo is also a play you don’t want to miss.

Wegher’s journey to pro football has been unconventional to say the least, but it’s exciting to finally see him out on an NFL field making an impact. In his freshman year at Iowa, it was clear to see that this young man would eventually be a star, but off-field incidents and the birth of his son caused a complete shift in focus of his life. Wegher’s newfound appreciation for his opportunity is something he’s not going to squander, and he appears to be working harder than ever.

Never lacking in the speed or vision department, this guy has a chance to be special. For a Panthers team that has received its share of bad news in recent weeks, the development of Wegher has been something they can hang their hat on. If he doesn’t make the Panthers, someone is going to scoop him up and have a heck of a runner on their hands.

Next: Chicago Bears stock report: preseason week 2

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