The Carolina Panthers' 2024 rookie class had another up-and-down day against the Dallas Cowboys in last Sunday's 30-14 loss.
On the down side, the group is still reeling from the loss of their second-rounder and could soon be without their first. However, the team's late-round selections and undrafted free agents made some headway despite the disappointing defeat.
So, let's take stock of the bunch before we dive into their Week 16 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
And before we do so, here are the team's draft selections in order.
Round 1, No. 32 overall - Wide receiver Xavier Legette, South Carolina Round 2, No. 46 overall - Running back Jonathon Brooks, Texas Round 3, No. 72 overall - Linebacker Trevin Wallace, Kentucky Round 4, No. 101 overall - Tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas Round 5, No. 157 overall - Cornerback Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State Round 6, No. 200 overall - Defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy, Mississippi State Round 7, No. 240 overall - Linebacker Michael Barrett, Michigan* Key undrafted free-agent signings - Wide receiver Jalen Coker, Holy Cross; safety Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
Note: The Panthers traded Barrett to the Seattle Seahawks during the preseason in exchange for cornerback Mike Jackson.
WR Xavier Legette
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Legette needed a rebound performance after a few weeks of tough drops in some critical moments. He only had two catches for seven yards, but an impressive downfield catch that was ruled out of bounds off a Bryce Young scramble.
Unfortunately, Legette left the game in the second half with what was initially ruled a groin injury. He has since been ruled out for this weekend's outing with a hip issue.
We will not give Legette a designation in light of the setback.
Stats (14 games): 41 receptions, 439 yards, four touchdowns
RB Jonathon Brooks
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Brooks will miss the remainder of the season due to an ACL tear.
Stats (three games): nine carries, 22 yards; three receptions, 23 yards
LB Trevin Wallace
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Wallace did not play Sunday against the Cowboys due to a shoulder injury. This setback has now placed him on injured reserve and he will miss the remainder of the regular season.
Stats (13 games): 64 tackles, 1.0 sack, two forced fumbles
TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
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Sanders has only seen two targets in as many weeks since his return from a neck injury against the Kansas City Chiefs. His lone look against the Cowboys was a dropped pass.
The fourth-rounder has been out-snapped by fourth-year tight end Tommy Tremble in each of the past two outings. He struggled as a run blocker in one-on-one blocks.
This shouldn't be a sign of things to come for the team's top Day 3 selection, as he could see more targets in the final three weeks.
However, due to his recent struggles, we're giving Sanders a stock-down designation.
DT Jaden Crumedy
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The Panthers are beginning to increase Crumedy's workload as they look for a spark on their defensive front in the final weeks of the season. He played 26 snaps against the Cowboys and good effort on every play.
The effort and hot motor has allowed the former Mississippi State Bulldog to generate penetration in the run game and against the pass. He flashed again in run support with quality gap integrity and play strength on a stop against Ezekiel Elliott in the fourth quarter.
We're giving Crumedy a stock-up designation heading into Week 16.
WR Jalen Coker and S Demani Richardson
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In his return from a quad injury that left him absent for the previous three weeks, Coker exploded for four catches and a career-high 110 yards. That output was highlighted by an 83-yard touchdown where he showed off a never-before-seen second gear to run away from Cowboys defenders.
Young has shown to trust and rely on Coker to make the tough catches in traffic over the last several weeks. While he has room to grow, Coker his displayed savviness as a route runner.
Richardson, on the other hand, continues to play the Panthers big-nickel role against heavier sets and is still used as a gunner on punt coverages. With the injuries sustained at linebacker, including from fellow rookie Wallace, the former Texas A&M Aggies captain could see more time on the field as a dimeback in sub packages in the final weeks of the season.
We're giving both undrafted free agents stock-up designations.