Panthers are already building serious momentum around rookie DT Lee Hunter going into training camp

Carolina Panthers second-round rookie defensive tackle Lee Hunter turned plenty of heads during the offseason program and has serious momentum building going into the start of training camp.

The Carolina Panthers are back in the building this week for the start of training camp and the one player everyone seems to be raving about inside the building what they saw during the offseason program is second-round rookie defensive tackle Lee Hunter.

Following the neck surgery veteran defensive tackle Turk Wharton had earlier this spring, Hunter had plenty of opportunities to stand out with the first-team defense, something that is sure to continue when practice starts back up later this week.

General manger Dan Morgan confirmed that Wharton is expected to start camp on the PUP list and was later asked about some of the positive signs he saw from Hunter taking reps in Wharton’s place during OTAs and minicamp.

“A lot of good feedback just talking to our starting offensive linemen that went against him,” Panthers GM Dan Morgan said on Wednesday. “Definitely got a lot of good feedback on how strong he is, how physical he is. He’s quick off the ball, he’s quicker than you think. He’s more mobile than you think. A lot of good feedback and another young rookie that we’re excited about. Looking forward to seeing him compete out there.”

Lee Hunter is already on the fast track toward being an impact player for the Panthers in 2026

Hunter came into the league as a physically large individual at 6-3, 318 pounds and he certainly plays like it. He was a disruptor on the interior of Texas Tech’s defensive front and played with a physical attitude. It was no surprise to hear that showing up on the practice already with the Panthers, even without pads, but Morgan’s latter point adds even more excitement for what Hunter can bring.

Back at the NFL Combine, Hunter ran the second-slowest 40-yard-dash (5.18) with the fourth-slowest 10-yard-split (1.79) among interior defensive lineman while electing not to run the 20-yard short shuttle. His quickness at his size was a concern coming into the draft, and it’s already something that’s impressed the staff after seeing him in action.

The other thing that impressed his veteran teammates on the field earlier in the spring was Hunter’s ability to play the run at a high level.

“He’s very stout. Plays the run really really well, especially for a guy that hasn’t played at this level. That didn’t look like a rookie to me,” Panthers veteran right guard Robert Hunt said of Hunter. “OTAs, obviously we didn’t have pads on, but you can still tell without pads, I think so anyway. He plays the run really really well, better than I’ve probably seen any rookie in a long time.”

Once pads come on in a few days at camp, Hunter is going to be a real menace out there and the Panthers will be counting down the days until they can unleash him against another team.

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