3. Shaq Thompson
The 2019 season is by far the most important of his career. The Panthers are exercising Thompson’s fifth-year option as he steps into an elevated role on defense with Thomas Davis gone. The former first-round pick will also play in a vital position alongside Luke Kuechly in the middle of the second level in the new 3-4 fronts that Ron Rivera will deploy this season.
After seeing linebackers like CJ Mosley and Kwon Alexander sign massive deals in free agency, Thompson can only be as motivated as ever to prove himself in the pivotal fifth-year.
The opportunity for Thompson to break out and score himself a big-time payday couldn’t be more available. Thompson has increased his production in each of his first four seasons, finishing last season with 79 total tackles despite missing the last two games.
The explosive linebacker has ceded a significant amount of snaps to Thomas Davis as a Panther. With Davis departed, Thompson will be in line to be on the field every defensive snap. Being an every-down linebacker paired with his sure-tackling abilities, Thompson can become one of the NFL’s leading tacklers and join the ranks of the game’s best every-down linebackers.