4. Taylor Moton
Offensive linemen deserve to be in the conversation for breakout players too, especially third-year tackle Taylor Moton.
Moton’s 2018 season could be considered a breakout season itself, and frankly, he deserved more respect for his performance last season. Moton, in just his second season as a pro, started all 16 games and played over 1,000 snaps. Pro Football Focus ranked Moton as the 17th-best offensive lineman in 2018. The former second-round pick excelled in pass blocking where he finished among the NFL’s very best at allowing pressure and keeping Cam Newton clean.
72 days until Carolina Panthers football.
RT Taylor MotonIn 2018 season out of 22 right tackles who played at least 500 snaps he was 3rd in pass block grade(84.0), tied 5th in pass blocking efficiency(97.6) and 7th in pressure rate allowed(4.5%). pic.twitter.com/ZxyFmjlL3i
— The 4 Man Rush (@4ourmanrush) June 28, 2019
What is by far most impressive about Moton’s 2018 season was the transition from backup guard to starting right tackle, in less than a month. Moton came into training camp competing with Amini Silatolu for the left guard job. When Daryl Williams went down for the season with a torn ACL, Ron Rivera was, thankfully, forced to start Moton.
Moton barely touched the field in his rookie season, so growing pains were more than expected when transitioning from a backup at guard to a starting NFL tackle in a matter of weeks. However, they never came. Moton was a beast at tackle from day one and through the first three weeks of the season, he was PFF’s top-rated tackle in the entire NFL.
Moton now has a full season as a starting right tackle in the NFL under his belt. Given his success in 2018 with zero experience and transitioning positions beforehand, Moton can make himself known as an elite right tackle for years to come. At just 24 years of age and heading into his third NFL season, Moton is one of the Panthers’ most significant assets and offers the team a long-term answer at right tackle.