​The Carolina Panthers’ defense is on an upward trajectory. After a historically poor 2024 campaign in which they surrendered the most yards per game and the most points in league history, the unit regrouped and finished 2025 as the 16th-ranked defense. Looking ahead to 2026, there is genuine optimism that the reigning NFC South champions have assembled a top-10 unit.
A major driver of that optimism is second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton, who displayed promise as a rookie and should only improve with the addition of free-agent Jaelan Phillips on the opposite side of the defensive front. ESPN’s Ben Solak has named Scourton the Panthers’ top breakout candidate for the upcoming season. Solak notes that Scourton was the Panthers’ best pass rusher last year as a 21-year-old rookie, and with Phillips providing a different dynamic on the edge, Scourton should face more favorable matchups and have more opportunities to clean up plays. His technique shows that there is room for growth in both run defense and pass rushing, suggesting a potential leap forward.
In 2025, Scourton’s traditional statistics reflected solid production for his level of playing time. He tied for the team lead with five sacks, contributing nine quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss. However, the advanced metrics tell a more nuanced story. Solak notes that Scourton posted a 9.2 percent pressure rate, which was roughly 3.4 percent below the league average for a starter. Despite that discrepancy, Scourton’s trajectory indicates significant upside and the potential to realize Pro Bowl-caliber impact if he continues developing his technique and benefits from enhanced pressure opportunities with Phillips on the opposite edge.
If Scourton makes the leap Solak envisions, the Panthers could feature a dynamic duo on the edge capable of creating consistent disruption for opposing offenses. The combination of Scourton’s developing pass-rush skills and Phillips’ pocket-pushing style could relieve some pressure on the interior and open up more favorable looks for the entire unit. While there remains work to be done to maximize consistency and refine technique under pressure, the early indicators point to a potential breakout season that could elevate Carolina’s defense into the realm of a top-10 unit.
For ongoing Panthers coverage and updates on this developing story, follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X. This recap draws from coverage originally published on Panthers Wire, highlighting Scourton as ESPN’s top breakout candidate for 2026 and examining both traditional and advanced metrics to gauge his outlook.