Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin is impressing at the team's rookie minicamp.
“He’s everything we thought he would be,” coach Ron Rivera said. “We’re not in pads. But watching his route running, watching him catch the ball, make the adjustments, track the ball -- all those types of things were really good to see.”
Another reason the Panthers like Benjamin so much was that the patterns he ran in college were similar to what he'll run here.
"When they were calling the routes, I was like, ‘Oh, yes, I ran this,’" Benjamin said, flashing his infectious smile. “So I know I can come out of the cuts real fast and real good.”
Benjamin is far from a finished product. He'll have his struggles like all rookies, particularly rookie receivers. But, on two unseasonably cool, sun-splashed days in a camp for draft picks, undrafted rookies and other invitees, it was a good beginning.
If Benjamin can make the transition to the NFL quickly, he'll have a terrific opportunity to produce as a rookie given the current state of the team's receiving corps. We're not expecting a top 20 season, but he could grow into a starter- or flex-caliber role in fantasy leagues provided he picks things up quickly and is a force in the red zone.
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