Carolina Panthers: Rookie defender Jeremy Chinn clearly has bright future

Carolina Panthers rookie defender Jeremy Chinn shined in his NFL debut and clearly has a bright future going forward.

The Carolina Panthers invested heavily in their defense during the 2020 NFL Draft. All seven of their selections came on the defensive side of the ball as they hoped to revamp a unit that struggled throughout last season.

One of the most interesting selections made by Carolina was Jeremy Chinn, the safety out of Southern Illinois who they were able to snag late in the second round. The Panthers clearly valued Chinn highly, as they traded up from the third round to add him to their mix.

Chinn started at strongside linebacker for the Panthers in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders and was able to make an immediate impact for the team. In that 34-30 loss to the Raiders, Chinn showed impressive natural playmaking ability, ranging all over the field and finishing the game with eight total tackles.

He showed incredible range in the middle of the field and tremendous natural closing speed. He always seemed to be around the ball and held up well against the run, despite clearly being an undersized linebacker.

Chinn’s coverage ability immediately stands on the field and his upside in that department is absolutely massive. He is a strong man coverage defender whose combination of speed and athleticism gives him an edge against most running backs and tight ends. Chinn also shows impressive natural instincts in zone coverage. Simply put, he is a real weapon in coverage.

Chinn is listed as a safety but started at linebacker in his debut. The Carolina Panthers will likely allow Chinn to make an impact at both positions this season, simply asking him to roam around the field and make plays. His athleticism is consistently impressive and allows him to make an impact all over the field. Chinn clearly has a high ceiling and should be an extremely important part of the Panthers’ defense going forward.