Panthers draft edge Nic Scourton: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
The Carolina Panthers moved up six spots — from No. 57 to No. 51 — in a trade with the Denver Broncos to select Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday.
In the trade, Carolina also swapped third-round picks (74 to Denver, 85 to Carolina), fourth-round picks (111 to Denver, 122 to Carolina) and seventh-round selections (208 to Carolina, 230 to Denver).
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Scourton played one season for the Aggies and recorded five sacks in 12 games en route to being a 2024 first-team All-SEC selection. He was productive for a loaded defensive line, leading the Texas A&M in sacks and tackles for loss. Prior to that, he played two seasons at Purdue, where he led the Big Ten with 10 sacks in 2023.
Scourton ranked No. 59 in Dane Brugler's top 300 big board. Here's what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
A thickly built, high-motor rusher, Scourton is quick to shoot his hands, create force and walk blockers into the pocket, but the next step in his development will be diversifying his attack by setting up counters and stacking moves. His hustle also stands out in the run game and directly leads to production (29 tackles for loss over his last 23 games). Overall, Scourton is a banshee off the edge with the quickness and power to work half-a-man and wear down blockers. His game plan is overly reliant on effort and relatively basic, though, because of his average athletic tools. His aggressive worker-bee play style should translate to starting snaps in the NFL.
What an anonymous coach had to say about Scourton in Bruce Feldman's mock draft:
'He's a better player than (A&M teammate Shemar) Stewart. He plays the run really well. Got really good pass rush skills with a lot of change-ups and good body control for a big guy. He'll get a lot of effort and motor sacks.'
The Panthers needed an edge rusher and they picked up a versatile and productive one. Scourton (6-foot-3, 257 pounds) played two seasons at Purdue, where he recorded 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2023. He transferred to Texas A&M last year and bulked up to 285, which in part caused his sacks to drop to five but that still led the Aggies. Scourton became a team captain at Purdue shortly after turning 19 years old and has plenty of upside. Grade: A
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A night after going offense, the Panthers traded up in the second round to get the edge rusher many thought they would take at No. 8. Scourton racked up 15 sacks over the past two seasons, including a Big Ten-leading 10 in 2024 during his final season at Purdue. Scourton features a blend of power and quickness off the edge. And with his solid base — the 6-2 Scourton weighed 257 at the combine but played at as much as 285 last season for the Aggies — he also should be able to set the edge in the run game. — Joe Person, Panthers beat writer
The Panthers return their top two edge rushers from last season in Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum, and signed former Vikings outside linebacker Patrick Jones II in free agency. But the 32-year-old Clowney played a lot of snaps last season, so Scourton's arrival should help them keep Clowney's legs fresher in 2025. With Clowney entering a contract year, Scourton also could succeed the former No. 1 pick if he shows promise as a rookie. — Person
Marshall's Mike Green was the edge rusher available — and best player overall — when the Panthers traded up with Denver to take Scourton at 51. But it's unclear whether the Panthers had Green on their board after the two sexual assault allegations made against him in high school and at Virginia. Dan Morgan also could have taken a ball-hawks like Notre Dame's Xavier Watts, the highest-rated safety still available at a big position of need for the Panthers. — Person
Given the Panthers' shortage of safeties — there are only three currently on the roster – I would have been tempted to draft Watts, who had 13 sacks over his final two seasons in South Bend. But Morgan is all about staying true to his board, so clearly the Panthers had Scourton rated higher than Watts. Scourton doesn't have the ideal length for an edge and was too heavy last season. But his production in the run game and pass rush potential are an intriguing combination in a player who doesn't turn 21 until August. — Person
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